Justin Smillie

Justin Smillie is a chef and fire-cooking specialist known for soulful, handcrafted food rooted in Italian tradition, live flame, and seasonal instinct. His career has spanned some of New York’s most influential kitchens, including Barbuto, Il Buco Alimentari — where his leadership earned a three-star review from The New York Times — and Upland NYC, which he later expanded to Miami.

In 2015, Justin published Slow Fires: Mastering the Craft of Braising, Roasting, and Grilling (Clarkson Potter), a bold, technique-forward cookbook that explores the power of patience, intuition, and heat. The book became a modern classic, championing the elemental tools of the kitchen — fire, time, and care — and offering a roadmap for cooks ready to go deeper.

In 2023, Justin brought the spirit of Slow Fires off the page and into the world through SlowFires — a traveling wood-fired kitchen powered by a custom Maine Wood Heat oven trailer. Designed for spontaneity, connection, and craft, SlowFires reimagines hospitality in motion: fire-lit gatherings under the stars, pizzas pulled from roaring embers, long tables filled with smoke-kissed vegetables, charred meats, and soulful conversation.

From pop-ups and private dinners to creative collaborations, SlowFires moves with the seasons — showing up where the ingredients are best, where the fire draws a crowd, and where food becomes memory. It’s not just a kitchen on wheels — it’s a living expression of Justin’s philosophy: that fire brings people together, and food tastes better when it’s cooked with heart.

Today, Justin continues to build a community around the fire — blending story, smoke, and season with every dish — bringing the SlowFires ethos to life, one flame-lit meal at a time, in the place where smoke meets soul.