B. Smith, restaurateur and former model, dies at 70

B. Smith, a restaurateur, author and model who was one of the first African American women featured on the cover of Mademoiselle magazine, died Saturday of Alzheimer's disease at her Long Island home, according to a Facebook post. She was 70.

Barbara Elaine Smith’s trailblazing career included opening restaurants in Manhattan, Sag Harbor and Washington, D.C.; hosting a nationally syndicated television show; writing three books on food and entertaining; and creating a line of home décor products.

"Heaven is shining even brighter now that it is graced with B.'s dazzling and unforgettable smile," her husband, Dan Gasby, wrote on a Facebook page the two shared. He made the announcement with his daughter, Dana.

After Smith was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in 2013, the couple spoke publicly about their struggles and published a book in 2016 titled “Before I Forget.”

Tributes to the beloved lifestyle guru flooded social media on Sunday including praise from filmmaker Ava DuVernay, “Today” show co-anchor Al Roker, actress Viola Davis and former New York City mayor and presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg.

“The elegance. The grace. The style. May God rest and bless her soul,” DuVernay posted on Twitter. “#BSmith was one-of-a-kind.”

Roker called Smith a “legendary fashion model, chef, restaurateur, lifestyle icon and magazine publisher,” noting she and Gasby were at the forefront of Alzheimer’s research for people of color.

“RIP B. Smith,” Davis tweeted. “You epitomized class, true beauty and dignity. Rest well Queen.”

“It’s not often you meet someone like B. Smith,” Bloomberg tweeted. “The daughter of a maid and a steelworker, B’s entrepreneurial spirit made her into a pioneer of the modeling, restaurant and style industries. I’ll miss her.”

Smith grew up in Pennsylvania and started her career as fashion model. She was on the cover of 15 magazines, including a July 1976 issue of Mademoiselle, according to Gasby’s Facebook post.

Her expertise with food, entertaining and décor’ led to guest appearances on “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America” and then her own show “B. Smith with Style.” She created a home collection that was introduced at Bed Bath & Beyond in 2001.

Smith and Gasby purchased property in Sag Harbor in 1993 and built a 4,000-square-foot, four-bedroom home with a 600-square-foot mahogany deck that overlooked the water. In 2017, it was listed for $8.5 million, Newsday reported.

“Barbara was an incredibly hardworking, caring, self-made woman,” said friend and producer Adrienne Hammel. “She really wanted to give back to her community. She really loved Long Island and the city.”

Hammel, who worked with Smith on her television show and specials, said she was meticulous about testing and preparing her recipes before making them on air and wanted to make sure the customers in her restaurants were comfortable and happy.

“She greeted all of her customers like old friends,” Hammel said. “She wasn’t just working a room. She really cared about them.”

After her diagnosis, Smith stepped away from the restaurant business. She and Gasby continued to communicate with friends and fans through detailed posts on social media. They advocated for more research of the disease that made it difficult for Smith to take on the simplest of tasks.

The Alzheimer’s Association credited Smith with “bravely sharing her diagnosis with the world, helping to break down the stigma,” in a tweet on Sunday.

In the Facebook post, Gasby thanked Dr. Sam Gandy, East End Hospice and other caregivers.

Funeral arrangements were not immediately available.