With a mix of elegance and irreverence, only celebrity chef Art Smith could round up his famous chef buddies, a sea of white orchids and a drag queen DJ to pull off a wedding ceremony Saturday for more than two dozen same-sex couples on Miami Beach.
Smith, a Florida native and former chef to Oprah Winfrey and Gov. Bob Graham, is revered by fellow chefs and those in the gay and lesbian community, known as the chef with a big Southern accent and an even bigger heart.
When Smith heard that Florida judges had lifted the state’s ban on same-sex marriage last month, he set out to throw an over the top-wedding officiated by chef Guy Fieri, with a stunning cake from Duff Goldman, and a dance party spun by local star Chi Chi LaRue. He invited the first 101 couples to participate in the free wedding, noting he chose the number after the movie “101 Dalmatians” to shame Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has ardently fought to keep same-sex marriage from becoming legal.
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“We are not arbitrators of morality, we’re cake decorators,” he said.
Smith, who hosts the Big Gay Ice Cream Social at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival each year, said it had been their polite protest to the state law for years. Now they were ready to throw a wedding.
“I felt like it was important for us to show the haters, just shake it off,” he said quoting a Taylor Swift song as he moved onto the dance floor as the crowd cheered him on. “We’re gonna have a party and we’re going to show people we’re proud, we’re happy, we’re loud.
