Credit: Galdones Photography

Pursuing a Star Takes Focus. Keeping Three? That Takes a Team.

15 Minute read

09 Apr 2025

Writer

Chef John Shields of Chicago’s Smyth reflects on the discipline, collaboration, and curiosity that fuel his team’s pursuit of excellence—one perfectly peeled vegetable and inspired service moment at a time.

After Smyth—the fine dining tasting-menu restaurant he co-owns with his wife and pastry chef partner Karen Urie Shields—earned its second Michelin star, chef John Shields gathered his 14-person kitchen team for a direct conversation with one clear goal: earning the third.

“I said, ‘This is the year we go for three,’” Shields recalls. “It’s more about the pursuit of excellence.”

Smyth's Origins & Early Accolades

Smyth opened in Chicago’s West Loop in August 2016 and earned its first Michelin star just two months later. That kind of recognition might seem rapid for a new restaurant—but given John and Karen Shields’s pedigrees, it was anything but surprising. Both worked at Charlie Trotter’s—he as sous chef, she rising to head pastry chef—before John joined the opening team at Alinea.

The couple later moved to rural Chilhowie, Virginia, where they were given creative freedom to reinvent a little-known restaurant called Town House. There, they earned national acclaim: John was named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in 2010, and Karen was recognized as a rising star. Eventually, city life beckoned again, and they returned to Chicago to open Smyth—along with their subterranean gastropub, The Loyalist—to critical acclaim. A year after earning its first Michelin star, Smyth climbed to two.

Pursuing the Third Star & Foundations of Excellence

While some restaurants might be content with two stars, Shields saw the third as a challenge worth pursuing—one that required relentless hard work, daily discipline, and a touch of manifestation. Earning that third star, he believed, would come not from grandeur, but from mastering fundamentals.

“I definitely believe that I can will some things to happen,” Shields says. “The will comes from hard work, perseverance, and being consistent on a daily basis to make it happen.”

His philosophy is grounded in simplicity: excellence isn’t built on flash—it’s built on foundation.
“What’s going to make us great is focusing on all the little things,” he adds. “We have to build the infrastructure from the ground up. That means doing the little things every day—like peeling and washing things perfectly—and doing it properly, being militant. Being intent on producing the same thing every day.”

Though this mindset was reinforced during his time at Trotter’s and Alinea, it started much earlier and much closer to home. “My mom said when I was a kid, ‘work before play,’” he recalls. “She was super supportive and a great mom, but her ethic was always work before play. If you put the work in, you can eventually enjoy the process.”

That same mindset extends to the kitchen at Smyth, where collaboration drives performance. Shields credits his team for the restaurant’s success and focuses on mentorship as much as cooking.
“The most honest thing in life is growing as a person,” he says. “The people around me keep getting younger, and I want to learn together—and teach them. Some of them have really innovative ideas, and there’s a real dialogue that can happen.”

Credit: Galdones Photography

Credit: Galdones Photography

Creating Memorable Experiences & Guest Focus

In a city full of standout restaurants, Shields believes what sets Smyth apart is its ability to create lasting memories. “When you leave this restaurant, you’re going to remember a few things,” he says. “And that means something. Down the road, you’re still thinking about Smyth.”

At its core, his mission is simple: make people happy. For Shields, hospitality isn’t just about precision—it’s about presence. He knows that achieving three stars is a milestone, but maintaining them requires relentless commitment. “We run a never-ending, always-tweaking Broadway show,” he says. “We have a group of actors that is awesome and really talented.”

That mentality shapes everything at Smyth, from the kitchen to the dining room. It keeps the team focused, growing, and united in delivering the best possible guest experience—something Shields credits to his time at Trotter’s. “What we’re really great at now is caring about the guests,” he says. “I really do care about them. I don’t want to lose the stars, sure, but it’s about a responsibility. They trust in me, and I want to make sure I give them something great.”

Ingredient Innovation & Kitchen Curiosity

Sourcing the best seasonal ingredients has always been a priority for Shields, whether from trusted local farmers or cultivated in-house. Over time, that commitment evolved into something deeper: a kitchen that functions as both a greenhouse and a lab.

At Smyth, the team sprouts their own grains—a practice Shields and Karen began at Town House—runs a robust fermentation program, infuses more than 20 types of vinegar, crafts house-made cacao nibs, and even grows fig leaf to produce an aromatic oil used in place of basil. “It’s a huge process,” he says. “The reward is the guests have something they’ve never had before, and the team is inspired to do something they’ve never done before.”

That process fuels the restaurant’s energy. Shields believes the kitchen is “alive” because the team brings relentless curiosity to everything they do. “What makes it alive is the constant curiosity among people who work here and never settle for anything,” he says. “And that’s why we do sprouts. There’s no simple answer to anything. But at my age, I’m still inspired to cook and be curious.”

For Shields, creativity isn’t abstract—it’s earned. “If you’re going to be creative, you have to have life experience,” he explains. “You have to live life, travel, eat in other restaurants. It’s all of it. I’ve been doing this now for like 25 years. You see a lot and travel a lot. The hard work over time starts to build a catalog in the back of your mind.”

“The reward is the guests have something they’ve never had before, and the team is inspired to do something they’ve never done before.” says Shields.

Credit: Galdones Photography

Credit: Galdones Photography

Legacy & the Next Generation

With the Shieldses now ranked number 16 on Robb Report’s list of the most powerful people in American fine dining—and Smyth sitting at number 90 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list—John Shields feels both validation and responsibility. “We toast to it. It’s amazing,” he says. “It builds our confidence and keeps pushing us to learn more. The hat never gets hung on the hook. I keep exploring and figuring out what to do next.”

But accolades aren’t what drive him—it’s the people around him. “Sure, being 16—I can’t believe it,” he says. “But then I go, ‘Wow, I have a real responsibility,’ and I turn it to the generation below me. I have to be better for them. It does nothing for my own personal ego. But the other folks are counting on me to be better.”

In an industry that often celebrates fireworks and ego, Shields has built something quieter but more lasting: a restaurant rooted in hospitality, curiosity, and consistency. One that creates memories, nurtures talent, and proves that greatness isn’t just earned—it’s sustained. That’s a recipe for three stars that won’t fade anytime soon.

The Chef

John Shields is the chef and co-owner of Smyth in Chicago. Known for his ingredient-driven creativity and guest-centered philosophy, he leads one of the country’s most acclaimed kitchens with humility and vision.

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