From Michelin-starred chef to your table: BlackSmyth vinegar debuts

A Michelin-starred chef walks into a vinegar barrel, and out comes BlackSmyth, a bold new black garlic vinegar that’s shaking up kitchens from the West Loop to home stoves across the country.

Chef John Shields of the acclaimed three-Michelin-starred restaurant Smyth in the West Loop has teamed up with Lindera Farms to launch BlackSmyth vinegar.

The collaboration between Shields and Lindera Farms owner Daniel Liberson is rooted in a shared culinary past. Liberson once cooked under Shields at the Town House restaurant in rural Virginia. Years later, the former colleagues reunited to develop a vinegar that would embody the inventive spirit and bold flavors of Smyth.

“Reconnecting with Daniel has been a phenomenal experience for me, and I couldn’t think of a better partner that understands what we do at Smyth to create BlackSmyth,” Shields said in a statement. “He’s familiar with the nuances of the flavors we like to use, and I can’t wait to incorporate the vinegar at my restaurants, as well as read how chefs at home use it.”

Crafted over eight months to a year, BlackSmyth marries deep umami and sweetness, with flavor notes of seaweed, citrus, and lily. The name is a play on “black garlic” and “Smyth,” while the bottle design nods to the art of blacksmithing, incorporating elements from Smyth’s logo and the shape of garlic leaves.

Liberson said the creation process brought him back to his early days in the kitchen. “The development of BlackSmyth’s flavor profile involved a significant back-and-forth with Chef Shields, and it brought me back to being a line cook under his wing,” he said. “We wanted to strike a chord between sweet and savory.” He added that BlackSmyth matches the signature style for whichChef Shields isknown.

BlackSmyth is available in limited quantities through Lindera Farms' website. Alongside the product, the site features recipes developed by Shields, inviting home cooks to explore the vinegar’s potential.

Smyth, co-founded by John Shields and Karen Urie Shields, is known for its ever-evolving tasting menus that highlight seasonal ingredients from across the country. Its downstairs counterpart, The Loyalist, offers refined French-inspired dishes and craft cocktails in a more casual setting.

To learn more or to order, visit Lindera Farms’ website.