Art Smith and a Major League Rugby Team Unveil a Fried Chicken Stall in Fulton Market

Art Smith takes a quick look around Time Out Market Chicago and softly asks: “Do you know what chefs do after they’re 60?”

Smith, the celebrity chef who worked with Oprah Winfrey and has served dignitaries, like President Biden, didn’t expect an answer. Smith posed the question to justify his new rapport with the Chicago Hounds, a professional rugby team founded in 2022 that plays home matches at SeatGeek Stadium in suburban Bridgeview. In February, Smith and the Hounds announced a collaboration in which Smith’s new brand, Sporty Bird, began selling chicken sandwiches and more at the stadium. Over the weekend, Smith also unveiled a Sporty Bird-branded food stall at Time Out Market, the food hall run by the media company.

Beyond his association with Oprah, Smith is known for restaurants like Table Fifty-Two in Gold Coast, a hit mostly known for its fried chicken. Smith is proud of the restaurant (which was rebranded as Blue Door Kitchen & Garden in 2016) and its alums: “Joe is just killing it here,” Smith says of Joe Flamm, the chef and co-owner of Rose Mary, right down the street from Time Out Market.

Sporty Bird/Kim Kovacik

Last year, Smith opened Reunion at Navy Pier and he maintains a residence in Hyde Park. But he still travels. He talked about an upcoming trip to India and meeting esteemed chef Francis Mallmann earlier this year during a visit to an island in Patagonia. Even though he joked about his age, Smith’s star continues to shine, passing through open doors closed to most food hall tenants. Most food halls brand themselves as incubators, taking chances on relatively unproven talent. Smith is the opposite.

Still, the venture with the Hounds is a risk. He touts himself as the only professional chef who owns a professional sports team in America. It’s a claim that’s hard to verify. For example, is a burger cook who works at an Applebee’s and has shares in the publicly-owned Green Bay Packers, considered an owner of a pro team?

Smith wants to bring energy to Time Out (“I want to throw a party,” he says) and sees potential — even as the food hall goes through changes. Smith praised chef Jorge Kaum, the chef behind Gutenburg, a food hall burger stall. Kaum is also a chocolatier and made chocolate-shaped rugby balls in honor of Smith’s opening.

Avli is set to leave the market at the end of the month — they’re going to open a stand-alone location in the area. Evette’s left earlier this year. Of the original lineup from 2019, only chef Bill Kim (Urbanbelly) remains. A few of the restaurants had problems with management and didn’t like the terms of their contracts. Food halls have struggled during the pandemic. Two closed in the West Loop/Fulton Market — Politan Row and Fulton Galley. In March, Time Out brought in a new general manager, Steve Pelissero, to bring in some stability.

Sporty Bird features chicken (“I do know how to cook more than chicken,” Smith says). The spicy nuggets have heat, at least during an opening event last week. But there’s a worry that too much heat will alienate customers in the area.

Sporty Bird/Kim Kovacik

Unexpectedly, the stall has a familiar face behind the counter. Carol Cheung, the chef and the owner behind Hyde Park’s Jade Court, an acclaimed Cantonese restaurant and longtime member of the Eater Chicago 38, is managing operations. As Smith is a Hyder Parker, he befriended Cheung and wants to find a way to revive Jade Court, which struggled at the University of Chicago’s Harper Court development. Time Out does have spaces available.

What gave Smith the idea to partner with the hounds? Last year, soccer legend Lionel Messi launched a fried chicken sandwich in Miami with Hard Rock Cafe. Smith saw the sandwich become a viral sensation, yet he was hardly impressed by the sandwich: “I could do better,” Smith says.

Some vendors have fled, others say they’ve made money at the food hall. Kaum, who also has a stall in Miami, says things are improving in Chicago. Smith is hopeful that Sporty Bird, and perhaps a Jade Court revival, can take advantage. He’s reminded of something his friend Oprah once told him: “You don’t have to be first,” Smith recalls Winfrey saying. “But you do have to be better.”

Sporty Bird, now open inside Time Out Market Chicago, 916 W. Fulton Market