Erick Williams Biography
It is with inimitable persistence, passion and drive to propel today’s dining experience that Erick Williams – Owner and Chef at Virtue Restaurant & Bar – has carved a special niche in the restaurant industry.
Opened in November 2018, Virtue is Williams’ first solo concept, and is nestled in the heart of the historic Hyde Park neighborhood, located on Chicago’s south side. The restaurant, which attracts guests both from throughout Chicagoland and around the globe, unites his 25 years of fine dining expertise, his love of Southern cuisine and his insatiable study of history and art as they relate to food culture.
The expertise Williams built over the years is reflected at Virtue with his precise sense of timing, immaculate presentation, deeply considered menu and a mantra of leading every guest experience with kindness. Since opening, Williams and Virtue have been featured in a host of local and national journals and television programs. The New York Times named him one of America’s black chefs changing food dialogue in America (2019). Virtue also earned its place on Esquire magazine’s annually anticipated list of Best New Restaurants (2019). Television writer and producer Phil Rosenthal included Williams in his hit Netflix series, “Somebody Feed Phil” (2020). He was also named, “A Chicagoan of the Year” by Chicago magazine (2020). Williams also received a coveted Award nomination by the James Beard Foundation in the Best Chef Great Lakes category (2020). In 2021, he was honored with Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Mayoral Medal of Honor for his work feeding frontline workers during the pandemic and also his advocacy for social justice in the Black community. Williams appeared on ABC’s Live With Kelly and Ryan as part of the show’s Hometown Chef Summer Cooking series and was the featured subject of CBS Saturday Morning’s “The Dish” segment. A natural orator, Williams was a featured speaker at the Philly Chef Conference (2019) and was named a Smith Symposium Fellow by the Southern Foodways Alliance (2019). Williams was also awarded the 2022 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes.
On multiple occasions, Williams has had the honor of organizing and serving high-profile events for civic leaders and celebrities, both on his own and alongside fellow industry leaders nationwide. Outside of the restaurant, he donates his time and talent to those less fortunate by partnering with charities across the region. He is particularly devoted to making a positive impact on the future of Chicago’s inner-city youth as well as the hospitality industry, offering his time as a keynote speaker advocating for small businesses.
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Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Erick Williams for both live and virtual events for over 20 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a
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How much does it cost to book Erick Williams?
Speaking fees for Erick Williams, or any other keynote speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The amount that Erick Williams charges to speak often varies according to the circumstances, including their schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Erick Williams, please fill out the
booking request form or call our office at
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All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Erick Williams for clients worldwide for more than 20 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the
booking request form or call our office at
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All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Erick Williams or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Erick Williams or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.
Erick Williams is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Erick Williams for your event is available upon request. Erick Williams generally travels from Chicago, IL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Adam Evans, Dane Baldwin, Chris Bianco, Chintan Pandya and Iliana de la Vega. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Erick Williams for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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