Honoring the past, celebrating the present: Chef Art Smith's Dia de los Muertos bash

Celebrity Chef Art Smith opened his home on Friday, Nov. 1 for an electrifying Dia de los Muertos celebration. The charming house he shares with his husband/artist Jesus Salgueiro in the Kenwood/Hyde Park neighborhood was packed to the rafters with friends who turned out to honor the past and celebrate the present together. 

The party started as soon as you entered the space – there were performance artists, dramatically painted with ‘Day of the Dead’ makeup; candles; skull sculptures; live music and colorful décor and flowers (by Kyle Hustedt of Bukiety Floral).

The smells from the kitchen were so tantalizing with multiple top chefs, headed up by Chef Hector Guerrero (of Art Smith Company) and Art, cooking traditional DOD dishes that featured Pan de Muerto (Mexican bread of the dead); beef tamales, turkey pozole, chicken mole, homemade tortillas, taquitos, enchiladas, rice and beans, flan and fruit, sugar skulls, cookies and so much more.

In the backyard downstairs, the party spilled over with guests enjoying live music by the Mariachi Los Pumas, who were performing by candlelight and twinkling lights. A wood-stoked pizza oven was filled with custom-made pizzas by Chef Christopher de la Cueva (of Chef Art Smith’s Reunion restaurant). And, just in case you craved tacos, a food truck was standing nearby in the driveway!

In one of the front rooms, a make-up artist happily painted everyone in “sugar skull/ catrina makeup” (elaborate skull makeup to honor the dead). In another room, an elaborate ofrenda (altar), designed by Melanie Lopez of Somos Arte Chicago, was decorated with candles and photos of lost loved ones. Chef Art encouraged all guests to bring a photo. My husband Chuck and I placed photos of our late moms and my cousins on it. A large photo of Chef Art and our friend Chilli Pepper was front and center. Sadly, even a baby photo was seen there.

And, in honor of our late friend Chilli, Art introduced a fantastic performance artist, Luna La Catrina, dressed as the “goddess of death.” She took photos with all who asked wearing an extraordinary sparkling red costume with skulls, lit candles, feathers and an elaborate headdress.

And, in true Art Smith fashion, everything about the party had a philanthropic bent. All items and experiences came from nonprofits or were purchased from small Mexican businesses.

Chef Art shared his thoughts on Dia de los Muertos, “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t cry for them [late friends and family] or think about them. It took two movies, “Coco” and “Remember Me,” to teach America and the world about this beautiful custom.” 

Dia de los Muertos is a two-day holiday that reunites the living and dead. Families create ofrendas (offerings) to honor their departed family members. It’s a rare holiday for celebrating both death and life that is widely observed in Mexico, where it largely developed. It is also observed in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage.