In Wilmington’s ever-evolving culinary scene, some of the most exciting ideas come from chefs who know how to balance creativity with comfort. Enter CheeseSmith, a playful yet thoughtful concept from chefs Molly and Brendan Curnyn, where elevated technique meets nostalgia and approachability.
Known for their inventive takes on classic favorites and a clear passion for hospitality, the Curnyns have quickly carved out a space that feels both familiar and fresh. At CheeseSmith, the focus is on quality ingredients, bold flavors and a dining experience that doesn’t take itself too seriously – a reflection of the chefs themselves and the vibrant food culture that continues to define Wilmington.
In this Q&A, Molly and Brendan share their journey to opening CheeseSmith, the inspiration behind the concept and what makes Wilmington the perfect place to bring their vision to life.
What are some aspects of your culinary journey that led up to the opening of CheeseSmith?
Both of us are self-taught chefs – we grew up working every position in different types of restaurants and hospitality, which left us with experience in many cuisines and service styles. Molly spent a few years working as a chef and stewardess on motor yachts, providing a great foundation for adaptability while cooking. We love to travel and base most of it around finding great food around the world.
You were featured on “Best Thing I Ever Ate” on the Cooking Channel. Can you tell us a bit about that experience?
We were featured on the show for our Buffalo Baby grilled cheese. It was one of the first sandwiches we created for the CheeseSmith concept, encompassing all the flavors we love in a plate of Buffalo wings into one bite.
The filming was really fun and took place at Waterline Brewing Co. back when we only had our food truck and before opening our current two brick-and-mortar locations. It was one of those insanely hot days in Wilmington and, paired with that, we couldn't use our hood vent to take out the heat coming off the griddle and fryer because it would interfere with the sound. It was about 125 degrees F inside the food truck, which made filming and the whole experience really interesting!
Can you describe your culinary philosophy and the thought process behind CheeseSmith?
We believe in making food that is so delicious and thoughtfully crafted that once you experience it, you’ll want to have it over and over again. We're big believers in elevating simple things that we could buy from a food purveyor, but instead make from scratch. All our sauces, dressings and jams we make in-house, and we think that really sets us apart.
CheeseSmith started as an elevated take on the classic grilled cheese but has transformed into so much more than its beginnings. We've been really excited that the CheeseSmith menu continues to expand to please as many customers as possible – always including cheese!
What menu items would you consider must-tries for visitors?
All the sandwiches are quite large, so we always recommend splitting them up so visitors can try as many things as possible. The Buffalo Baby with a side of ranch for dipping is a must. The Hoss, a cold sandwich that’s our take on a club, is one of our personal favorites – it has bacon and potato chips on it, what's not to like?! The Bulgogi Brussels Sprouts are a must-try because our house-made bulgogi sauce makes everything better. And, of course, you can't skip a side of fries – you haven't had the full experience if you don't get some beer cheese to dip them in.
What is your signature dish or cooking technique?
Our signature dish is anything that involves melted cheese!
Can you describe the atmosphere at CheeseSmith and how you want guests to feel when they dine there?
The atmosphere at both CheeseSmith locations is modern industrial, with lots of plants. We aimed for an inviting neighborhood restaurant vibe.
CheeseSmith started as a food truck in 2018. What led to your decision to start the food truck in Wilmington?
We wanted to soft launch the concept in Wilmington without committing to the financial investment of a brick-and-mortar right away to ensure CheeseSmith would be a good fit here. It takes a lot to start a restaurant, as anyone who has gone through the endeavor knows. We literally signed our house against our first business loan, so there's a lot riding on a restaurant succeeding, and it feels much more comforting when you already know there's a large following of people who want what you are providing.
What led to your decision to turn the concept into a more permanent location in the Cargo District?
After about two years on the food truck and often selling out of food a few days a week, we knew there was a lot more demand for our food than we could provide with only the food truck. Customers would joke that we should bring a separate truck with backup supplies, but after four hours of serving 100+ people an hour, we would be absolutely spent. It’s tough to open up to absolute chaos right from the beginning of your day. At the restaurants, a typical day starts with a steadier build, not at 100 mph like the food truck. We wanted to be able to serve people in a much more accessible way without ever selling out of food and having to close early and turn people away. And while we loved our time on the food truck, that world can be wildly unpredictable. Even though restaurants certainly also have their volatile days and constant curveballs, it's easier to have everything at least stationary.
What about the Cargo District drew you to the area initially?
We are always drawn to alt-downtown and up-and-coming areas instead of the archetypal "downtown" main streets in different cities. When we've visited other towns like West Asheville, Wynwood Arts District in Miami and North Charleston instead of King Street, we always felt drawn to those areas more and saw ourselves in something similar. We were also really excited to work with Leslie Smith, the developer who doubled as our contractor during the upfit, who had a vision and passion to transform the area into a walkable destination featuring so many different types of businesses.
How has the city itself influenced/complemented your vision for CheeseSmith? How do you incorporate the local Wilmington culture or ingredients into your restaurant and menu?
Wilmington's extensive collection of breweries had a major impact on our success with the food truck. We really can't imagine starting without them. Since most breweries/bottle shops don't have food offerings, and beer and cheese go so well together, we had a great relationship with the local breweries. With Wilmington's large craft beer influence and our personal love of craft beer as well, we’ve had many collabs and inspirations that involve local breweries, too.
In your opinion, what sets the city's culinary scene apart from other cities and coastal destinations?
Wilmington has such a tight-knit community and everyone in the culinary scene is largely connected and willing to help each other out and look out for one another, which is something you can't find in larger cities. It's a very welcoming community and we are proud to be a part of it.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Come check out CheeseSmith with the whole family! From grilled cheese and cheesesteaks to cheesecake, we have something for everyone.
