Erick Williams is a perfect representation of modern Chicago: a creative chef and innovative entrepreneur, he’s part of the city’s fabric and embodies its famous can-do philosophy. In conversation with OutThere, Erick shares just what makes his city so utterly unique.
“Chicago is a city of neighbourhoods, each with its own character and charm,” says Erick Williams, owner of Virtue restaurant in Hyde Park on the city’s South Side. “It’s one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, and that is its strength. From the Puerto Rican community in Humboldt Park to vibrant Chinatown, and the South Side’s rich African-American heritage, it’s a mosaic of cultures.”
Graduating over 19 years at the much-loved, now-closed mk the restaurant from salad chef to part owner, Erick chose his spot mindfully when the time came to launch his own venture. “I wanted to bring the South Side the kind of integral cooking I’ve been trained in over many years. There aren’t many opportunities to see African-American chefs on the South Side, so I thought to bring something to the neighbourhood that was both unique and very, very needed.”
Erick won acclaim at mk for his farm-to-fork, seasonal approach, and in 2018, on opening the doors of Virtue, an elegant, airy fine-dining space that reflects his passions for art and history, set about refining and elevating the Southern flavours he loves, keen to dispel preconceptions about the cuisine being overly heavy, and celebrate its place in American culture. “Our menu reflects the rich traditions of Southern cooking and its evolution during the Great Migration while embracing the diversity and creativity that make Chicago so unique. And Virtue’s ethos is directly inspired by the Hyde Park community. It’s a place where people from all walks of life come together to celebrate culture, history, and innovation.”
Virtue’s stellar success has won Erick the prestigious James Beard Foundation Best Chef Great Lakes award and a place in Robb Report’s Fine Dining Power 50. He has opened two other restaurants, the casual, New Orleans-inspired Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern and the takeaway Mustard Seed Kitchen in Bronzeville, a predominantly black neighbourhood that’s now visibly regenerating, as well as the joint venture Top This Mac and Cheese in South Loop.
Nor does Erick’s desire to enrich his community end there. Long a mentor to other upcoming chefs, he has also created the Virtue Leadership Development Program to train young people to build value-driven entrepreneurial projects.
Photography by Huge Galdones and courtesy of Virtue Restaurant
