From a young age chef Trevor Smith realized that feeding people was his happy place – since then he’s made a career of it. With parents in the military, Smith moved frequently before settling in Southern California. By the time he was in high school, he’d had several cooking jobs and had decided to enroll at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park NY.

Upon graduation from the CIA, Smith began a four year journey cooking in four different prestigious Relais et Chateaux properties; L’Orangiere in Los Angeles, The Vineyard at Stockcross in England, Steirereck in Vienna and The French Laundry in Napa.

New England beckoned and Smith moved across the country, joining Tony Maws’ team Craigie Street Bistrot where he met his wife, Kate. When Craigie Street Bistrot became Craigie on Main, Smith was on the opening team in a pastry position. Smith then helped open Five Corners Kitchen, a casual bistro in Marblehead, as Sous Chef. He spent two summers on Nantucket, first as the Sous Chef at Straight Wharf, and then switched roles to Pastry Chef at Straight Wharf and its sister restaurant, Ventuno.

After Nantucket, Smith headed to New York City where he spent a year and a half as Sous Chef at Dovetail, a Michelin starred fine dining restaurant on the Upper West Side. He left that gig to be the Charcutier at Danny Meyer’s Gramercy Tavern where he learned about sausage-making and hospitality – in equal measure. When Smith decided it was time to move back to Boston, he reached out to Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, who offered him the position of Chef de Cuisine at Little Donkey, their not-yet-opened, globally-inspired spot in Cambridge. He jumped at the chance to have such mentors and to be a part of an opening from the ground up.

Smith spent the months prior to Little Donkey’s opening bouncing between the other restaurants in the group – Coppa, Clio, Toro and Uni. He developed a particular fondness for Coppa, a charming and much-loved enoteca in the South End. When Oringer and Bissonnette offered him the role of Executive Chef there, he snapped it up.

In 2020, the Smiths opened Thistle & Leek in the heart of Newton Centre. Inspired by their travels through Europe, the cozy restaurant evokes the vibe of London’s modern gastropubs with a menu of seasonal-driven small plates, an old world wine list,  a straightforward cocktail program and warm and casual hospitality.

Smith lives in Cambridge with his wife and two cats. In his spare time he enjoys the local music scene and canning whatever the farmer’s markets have on offer.