Chef Kenny Smith didn't decide that he wanted to cook professionally until he had decided on what he didn't want to do. Out of high school, he worked in several different enviroments: warehouses, retail stores, cafes, kitchens, and in various other manual labor positions. After a number of years with little direction and a handful of uninspiring jobs under his belt, he made his mind up that he wanted to pursue a career in food, one of his deepest personal passions.

Chef Smith always loved to cook and eat, and he grew up on Shrewsbury St. in Worcester, MA, so restaurants have always been in his periphery. At 24 years old, he left town and got an entry level job at The Reservoir in Waterbury, VT, washing dishes, prepping and working their nonstop fry station. After 2 years, he was the lead line cook, experimenting with his own dishes and running the team. It wasn't long before he felt the time had come to return home and try his hand at some different restaurants. He was the lead line cook at Volturno for over a year and helped open Lock 50 under Chef Tim Russo, a dear friend who has helped him immeasurably. In early 2017, Chef Smith returned to Volturno and is currently the Chef at the flagship operation in Worcester on the same street he grew up on. Chef Smith says, "it's pretty dope."