Laguna Beach native Lindsay Smith is a culinary powerhouse. Growing up surrounded by fresh, organic dishes prepared from scratch, and inspired by watching Julia Child on PBS, Lindsay's passion for food was ignited early. These formative experiences laid the foundation for her future in the kitchen. 

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Lindsay honed her craft working alongside acclaimed chef Pascal Olhats and at the Ritz-Carlton, before launching her own successful catering business. In 2006, at just 26, she achieved her dream by opening Nirvana Grille in Mission Viejo. Two years later, she brought Nirvana to her hometown of Laguna Beach, where both locations thrived for five years before she shifted her focus solely to the Laguna Beach restaurant.

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Chef Lindsay is celebrated for her unwavering commitment to healthy, sustainable, and organic California cuisine, sourcing ingredients locally and seasonally to create her signature “clean” dishes. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, and Nirvana Grille has consistently ranked among the top restaurants in Laguna Beach, a town renowned for its dining scene. Among her accolades, Lindsay was the only female named to OC Metro’s “Top 10 Chefs Under 40,” and she has earned rave reviews and awards from Zagat, OpenTable, Yelp, and more.

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Lindsay has showcased her talent on the Food Network’s Chopped, and has been honored twice by her peers for her philanthropic work as the Festival of Chefs Orange County Honoree Chef. In 2022, California Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris recognized Lindsay as the first small business owner to be celebrated for her contributions to the community and as an empowered female entrepreneur.

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