Food for the Soul

By ASHLEY MASON
Jacksonville College VP of Finance

Chef Gary Smith

​Since 2023, Jacksonville College Dining Services has undergone significant operational improvements, including the hiring of Gary Smith—affectionately known as “Chef” across campus. Bringing more than 30 years of experience in food service management, Chef provided steady leadership during a period of transition and helped reorient Dining Services to service, hospitality and laid the groundwork for longer-term improvements in quality and consistency.
 
Chef first came to Jacksonville College through volunteer service, preparing meals for athletic teams during winter breaks. This was a quiet act of service that reflects the approach he now brings to leading Dining Services. Chef brings not just culinary expertise but a lifetime of relationships and cultural knowledge to campus dining. When students feast on collard greens, cornbread, macaroni and cheese or barbecue, many of them are transported back to family dinners or backyard gatherings where generations of tradition are passed down. It’s soul food, designed to nourish the body, mind and heart of students navigating the stress and isolation that often accompany college life.
 
Chef is well-known on and off campus. He was recently honored for outstanding service and dedication to the community by the Descendants Legacy Exhibit at the Pine Grove Schoolhouse. Through his barbecue stand, Smith’s Barbeque—recognized as Jacksonville’s oldest Black-owned business—he is also known for his willingness to provide meals to members of the community whenever there is need.
 
Current operations emphasize stewardship of the student dining experience. Reliance on pre-prepared foods continues to be reduced, with a growing emphasis on local sourcing where feasible and a continued shift toward a scratch-kitchen model. These practices reflect a belief that the way meals are prepared is itself an act of service. As Chef often reminds the team, “God is doing something new,” a phrase that reflects the spirit of hope, service and expectation shaping the culture of Dining Services at Jacksonville College.

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