Jayce Henderson
Walker Smith's culinary journey began in the kitchen of his late grandmother, Mavis Smith, where he was inspired by her homemade lasagna, dressings and chicken spaghetti.
“Anything you could name, she cooked,” Smith said.
Smith then learned how to make simple dishes like spaghetti from her mother, Melinda Gilmer, and later branched out into Southern classics like pork chops with peas, butter beans and mac and cheese.
“After that, I started cooking by following recipes myself,” he said.
In addition to spaghetti and pork chops, Smith's repertoire also includes garlic chicken Alfredo, which he considers his signature dish.
“I experiment a lot,” Smith says. “Every time I make spaghetti I try different sauces, I put different seasonings on the ground beef to see what works best. I'm always trying new things.”
Smith works as a laser operator for KDS Windsor and recently bought a home on Peebles Avenue, so now he enjoys cooking meals on his new stove.
During the holidays, Smith usually leaves the cooking to her family, and she also hosts a crawfish boil at the fairgrounds during fair week, where she helps out in the kitchen.
Looking back, Smith said one of his favorite cooking memories was his first date with his girlfriend, Maggie Nance.
“I tried to make an artisanal pizza from scratch, but it didn't work out,” he says, “but I learned from my mistake, and the next time I made it, it was really good.”
Their hit pizza was half pepperoni and half cheese, topped with a block of mozzarella and shredded cheese.
Smith said some of the kitchen essentials include an air fryer, garlic powder, salt, pepper, barbecue sauce, ranch dressing and paprika.
His advice to aspiring chefs is to avoid submerging hot oil in water, a lesson he learned the hard way when he suffered severe burns that required $45,000 in surgery as a freshman at East Central High School in 2018.
“Before you start experimenting, find some recipes and follow them step by step,” says Smith. “Once you get the hang of it, you can start to add your own twist.”
For Smith, the best thing about cooking is the peace it brings.
“You don't have to think about anything, you just do what you want to do,” he says. “It's a calm, comfortable environment.”
Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Potato Skillet
2 large russet potatoes
Olive oil
garlic powder
paprika
2 large chicken breasts
Parmesan Garlic Sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Dice 2 large russet potatoes and season with garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook in an air fryer at 400° for 20 minutes.
Dice the chicken breasts. Heat butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and season with paprika, garlic and Italian spices. Cook the chicken.
Add the Parmesan Garlic Sauce. Add the potatoes to the skillet. Top with the mozzarella cheese. Heat the skillet to 375° until the cheese is melted.
Teriyaki Chicken Bowl Made in 10 Minutes
2 large chicken breasts
Teriyaki sauce
garlic powder
pepper
Instant Rice
Asian Salad Kit
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Pour the teriyaki sauce over the chicken and add the garlic powder and pepper. Air fry at 400° for 4 minutes, then flip and fry for an additional 4 minutes.
Make instant rice in the microwave. Plate the salad. Serve in bowls. Pour on the Yum Yum sauce.
spaghetti
1 pound ground beef
garlic powder
Onion powder
paprika
Salt and pepper
Garlic and herb sauce
Regular Italian sauce
Thin spaghetti pasta
Sauté 1 pound of ground beef and season with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. When the ground beef is almost completely browned, begin boiling the noodles.
Add 1/4 cup butter and 1 teaspoon salt and boil the noodles for 6-7 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove fat from ground beef and add Garlic Herb Chunky Sauce and Italian Sauce.
Stir and boil for 2 minutes, then reduce heat to simmer. Drain noodles. Plate and serve.
