B. Smith knows style whether it's on the runway, in a restaurant or in the comfort of your home. The former fashion model turned restaurateur, television host, author, entrepreneur and entertainer extraordinaire is widely regarded as an expert when it comes to casual but elegant living.

For the past 8 years, B. Smith has hosted the lifestyle television show “B. Smith with Style.” Originally distributed by Hearst and Tribune Entertainment companies, the show aired in more than 90% of the U.S. and 40 countries. Viewers in select markets can now watch the show on the cable network TV One. Plus, they can enjoy B. Smith's effervescent personality and creative ideas via her appearances on programs such as “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” ABC's “Good Morning America” and “The View,” and NBC's “Today.”

A seasoned culinary expert who was recognized by Elle Décor as one of America 's 10 most outstanding non-professional chefs, Smith is the owner of three successful B. Smith restaurants in New York , Washington , D.C., and the scenic Long Island Hampton Village of Sag Harbor. Smith's first restaurant, launched in Manhattan in 1986, was located on 8 th Avenue and 47 th Street for 13 years. In 1999, Smith relocated the restaurant to Restaurant Row. Her D.C.-based restaurant, in the historic Beaux-Arts style Union Station, recently celebrated its 10 th anniversary.

Her flair for décor, demonstrated in the ambiance of her restaurants, led to her entry in home style and the Spring 2001 launch of her first collection at Bed Bath & Beyond. The B. Smith with Style Home Collection includes bedding (duvet and comforter sets, coverlets, quilts, coordinated sheets, decorative pillows and window treatments) as well as tabletop, bath towels and area rugs, doormats, wall art and paper products. Smith's specialty serveware, launched in 2004, just expanded with a variety of pieces for entertaining. You can find the B. Smith with Style Home Collection exclusively at 700 Bed Bath & Beyond stores nationwide as well as online at www.bedbath.com .

Another recent venture for Smith is her line of jewelry, introduced on television retail giant QVC. The B. Smith Jewelry Collection , made from 14K gold and silver and often incorporating semi-precious gemstones, is designed to reflect Smith's international, multi-cultural appeal.

A native of western Pennsylvania , Smith started her career as a fashion model. She has graced the covers of 15 magazines including Mademoiselle 's first ever featuring an African-American woman. She is currently the spokesperson for Colgate Palmolive Oxy Plus dishwashing products and the new face for General Mills Betty Crocker Cornbread and Muffin Mix.

Smith is the author of two tabletop books on entertaining, the host of “B. Smart Tips for a Better Life” heard on New York 's WBLS-FM, and a columnist for Soap Opera Digest . She and her husband Dan Gasby have produced four television specials for TV One. The couple's B. Smith Restaurant Group, formed in May 1998, is in the process of expanding its holdings.

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