Chef/Restauranteur Erick Williams Keeps Virtue at the Center

Beginning his fine dining career as a salad cook at Chicago’s legendary MK and working himself up the ladder to Executive Chef and Partner to owner Michael Kornick, Williams learned his craft on the job and many lessons along the way about how to run a business and build a team. Rave reviews and accolades, like a Michelin Bib Gourmand and a James Beard nomination for Williams, followed within the first year of opening, and a recent CBS Saturday Morning piece went viral for his passion about centering the food of the Black diaspora in his restaurant, but Williams points in a different direction when asked about what feels like a win to him. At any given night at Virtue, what will strike you is the effortless diversity of the diners, a true snapshot of the city, with young students on a special night out sitting next to local families having a midweek meal, diners who have traveled from the northern suburbs and from across the country to experience exquisite food, and warm hospitality. [...]part of that return on investment is a commitment to sustainability of the brand, and being part of creating the space that is supporting you. [...]you get into the high-level access, which is access to investors, access to capital, access to profit and loss statements, access into systems, and back-office practices.