Erick Williams is the chef and owner of Virtue Restaurant & Bar, in Chicago. He is a James Beard Award winner and a renowned expert on Southern cuisine.
Born and raised in Chicago, Williams first learned to love cooking by helping his grandmother in the kitchen at home. His professional journey started at mk in Chicago, where he started as salad chef and worked his way up to Executive Chef and eventually part owner.
Williams opened Virtue in 2018 and instantly won national acclaim for his elevated approach to Black Southern cuisine. Recognition and accolades followed with a James Beard Award and the Chicago Tribune naming him Chef of the Year in 2020.
Since then, the chef’s reputation has only been enhanced with expansion into fast casual markets in Mustard Seed Kitchen, Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern and Top This Mac and Cheese bringing the best of Southern cuisine to a city far from the geographical south of America.
Bringing care and attention to detail, Williams elevates the humble and nourishing cuisine of the South to an urban dining scene that is thriving. Williams is a chef with an interest in art and history, his food is an expression of his roots but also a way to connect people through the goodness of Black Southern cuisine. He has a passion for helping to provide hope and opportunities for Chicago’s inner-city youth.
Chef Williams has shared these four Southern recipes with Fine Dining Lovers’ readers to make comforting, elevated, everyday favorites in your home kitchen and enjoy the real favor of the south, no matter where you are.
