City on a Plate: Inside the Windy City With Chicago's Most Celebrated New Restaurant

Virtue is known for executing Southern food with confidence and precision
Virtue is known for executing Southern food with confidence and precision | Courtesy of Virtue
Kieran Morris

Staff Writer

Culture Trip talks to the world’s most talented chefs about the cities that inspire them and the sights, smells and sensations that drive their approach to food. From his base in Chicago’s Hyde Park, Erick Williams has earned plaudits across the United States for his sophisticated, sensuous approach to African-American cuisine.

Erick Williams has spent over 20 years climbing to the top of the Chicago food scene

You can read a lot from restaurants rocketing to success in their first years of opening. Some do so because they arrive fully formed, exactly on-trend, burning so brightly for a short amount of time before fizzling away from the foreground. Others are headed by quixotic young chefs striking out on their own after years in the kitchens of the elite, buoyant with promise and potential, but liable to blunders and immaturity. For Erick Williams, executive chef of Virtue in Chicago, he is both and neither: Virtue is his first solo venture, after years by the side of the legendary Michael Kornick at his restaurant, MK, and his food has brought rave reviews – and national attention – to his underloved corner of Hyde Park.

But Williams is the furthest thing from a flash in the pan. Virtue is instead the culmination of over two decades of learning; every detail of the experience, from your greeting at the door to the moment you step out into the cold night air of the Windy City, is designed to leave you feeling warm, welcomed and cared for. A native Chicagoan who climbed up the ranks from dishwasher to executive chef at the aforementioned MK, Williams has used his debut restaurant not just to champion the cuisine of the American South, but to serve as a nurturing hub for young African-Americans who, like him, could stand to benefit from a mentor as modest and studious as himself. Initiatives like this, and many other charity drives across the city, have made Williams one of Chicago’s best-known and most beloved chefs, and earned him a place on the New York Times16 Black Chefs Changing Food in America list in 2019.

Then, there’s his food. Virtue is soul food in the truest sense, and it has drawn plaudits from Eater, Esquire, and the Chicago Tribune’s famously feared food critic, Phil Vettel, for staying true to its Southern roots, whilst also being unafraid to reinvent and reimagine. He even counts the well-regarded former senator from Illinois (and former US President), Barack Obama, as a fan. Staples like blackened catfish and fried green tomatoes are toyed with and perfected by a chef with an impeccable education, and are in the process elevated to the very highest standards they can reach. Where Virtue’s brilliance lies is not in completely deconstructing Southern food, but instead, in executing it with confidence and acuity Virtue demonstrates the innate beauty and deliciousness in soul food that can be savored and appreciated by all. Culture Trip spoke to Williams about home cooking, hot dogs and the irrepressible spirit of Chi-Town that inspires what he puts on a plate.

Who are you, and how do you cook?

I’m Erick Williams. I’m a father, I’m a Christian, I’m a chef and I’m an entrepreneur. I cook from my soul – that’s the basis of everything we do at our restaurant, Virtue, in the center of the Windy City.

What is your city to you?

For me it’s all about East 53rd Street – where Virtue is located. It’s in the heart of Hyde Park, an area with a ton of potential, which we’re only just getting started with. There’s a diverse make-up, an inclusive spirit and only a short distance between us and Lake Shore Drive. It’s where you’ll find a taste of everything that’s special about Chi-Town.

Virtue’s signature blackened catfish dish encapsulates Williams’ refined Southern style

What was the meal that transformed you?

So many – too many to name – at my grandmother’s table. Her peach cobbler continues to be the best I’ve ever had, and even after years and years in the kitchen, I still can’t make chicken and dumplings as well as she does.

What is the flavour of your city?

My first instinct is to say our bright yellow sweetcorn; it’s sugary and summery, and so good. But you know what I miss most when I’m away from the city? A Chicago-style hot dog. We make them the best – and we never, ever put ketchup on them.

Barack Obama and his family are known fans of Virtue’s food

What is the character of your city?

Well, we love our sports teams dearly, our city’s great museums, our incredible and ever-evolving dining scene and our amazing theatres. I think that sums us up quite neatly: we’re creative, competitive, and our communities are warm and supportive.

What is your city on a plate?

All of the dishes at Virtue express the character of Chicago in some way or another. The city is fully incorporated into our cuisine here – it’s one and the same, and made with the soul and love that I learned from my grandmother and carried through with me to where we are today. We put Chicago on a plate time after time, and night after night!

Virtue has earned plaudits all across the US for its skilful reimagining of soul food

Erick Williams is the head chef of Virtue, a fine-dining restaurant in Chicago, Illinois. Book a table, and keep up with them on Instagram.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Winter Sale Offers on Our Trips

Incredible Savings

X
Edit article