James Beard Award-winning Chef Erick Williams joined rolling out in exclusive interview. Chef Williams is not only redefining the culinary scene at his renowned restaurant and bar, Virtue, but also leading a revival of Black mixology history. Through his latest venture, he is honoring the legacy of trailblazing bartender Tom Bullock in collaboration with award-winning mixologist Paul McGee. Together, they are bringing Prohibition-era cocktails into the modern era, celebrating Black pioneers in America’s drinking culture. We sat down with Chef Williams to discuss this exciting initiative, the inspiration behind it, and the cultural significance it holds.
Black mixology history isn’t often highlighted in mainstream spaces. What inspired you to bring Tom Bullock’s legacy to life through this new cocktail venue?
It was really based on a conversation between Paul [McGee] and I. Paul was working with us on our cocktail bar next door, Cantina Rosa, and he actually started the idea. I want to say a year or so ago, I got a chance to really dig into Tom Bullock’s book and then dig a little deeper into his story. The year was starting, Black History Month was coming up. As you know, we still celebrate. Part of what Virtue is about is expanding the narrative of Black stories through Black food, Black music, Black art, and Black curation as a whole. So to add this last element by way of the bar just felt like a natural transition.
What was it about ‘The Ideal Bartender’ that stood out, and how did it influence your approach to the menu?
Well, a lot of the drinks are very, very balanced. Even the ones that are spirit-forward are more balanced than I would have expected. When I think about Prohibition-era spirits, I’m thinking about moonshine and stuff that’s not what we would call smooth. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of balance, nuance, and layers of flavors that went into these cocktails.
Chef Erick brings the old into the new
Talk about the significance of bringing Prohibition-era cocktails into a modern setting.
I think there’s a lot of significance in highlighting our contribution. Prohibition and 400 years forward — the reality is we have not gotten the same level of recognition by way of our ingenuity and our contribution to this country through service, through hospitality, through cocktail making, through food creation, through ideation. We know we have never gotten the credit for the many patents that were stolen from us. So anytime I get an opportunity to collaborate or activate programming around our story in our space, it just feels incredibly good. I don’t think there’s anything more important in our culture than us uplifting and sharing our cultural impact.
Let’s talk about the drinks. You have the Busy Izzy Highball, the Overall Julep, and the Blackthorn Cocktail as featured drinks. What makes those recipes special, and what made you decide to include those?
Well, someone once said the real key to being a good storyteller is not giving it all away. What I would encourage people to do is come out and celebrate with us and try those cocktails. Obviously, Mr. Bullock wrote an entire book of cocktails, but those are ones that really stood out for what we were trying to do at this particular time. I think cocktails should offer transportive experiences.
Talk about Cantina Rosa. How does it fit into Virtue’s vision?
We’ve been very fortunate to have Hispanic staff members for some time that have really pushed forward this idea of Black culture via the lens of Virtue. I thought it was only natural that we took the same ambassadors who were not Black and gave them a platform where they could deliver that same cultural experience through the lens of their own culture. Cantina Rosa, being focused on agave spirits and spirits from Mexico, offers our bartender Maria the opportunity to work with a team and really highlight the nuanced details of Mexico through spirits. It’s a fun project, and again, it feels like another natural progression. We want to make sure that we have a platform that showcases cultural experiences and transports people outside of the hustle and bustle of their day-to-day life.
Was there any story from Tom Bullock that stood out to you?
The one story that continues to stand out is that his book wasn’t shared at the same level during that time that many other books were shared and released. So it feels like a hidden treasure that’s really just getting an opportunity to bloom and be spotlighted in a way where the world can fully appreciate his work. We’re talking about somebody who lived over 100 years ago.
Since it is Black History Month, what words do you have for aspiring Black chefs, bartenders, and hospitality professionals looking to make their mark?
I don’t generally try to give advice, but what I would say is stay true to who you are. Oftentimes, we want to push our narrative and our space outside of the box. I think it’s really important to understand what’s inside the box. I don’t shun anyone who is extremely well-versed in making the items they grew up with in their homes. It took years for our ancestors to really define what those flavors were, what that experience is, and how it’s delivered. I would encourage people not to lose sight of that. It took me the better part of 40 years to understand that, even though I was in the hospitality community, I experienced hospitality in my family’s home first. Because it’s so familiar, we don’t always associate familiarity with ingenuity and a high level of care. We just think that’s something someone is supposed to be doing. I can tell you there was a time when my family had nothing, but they had love in their hearts, they had kindness, they had virtue. I don’t say that as a cliché, but they also had a high level of hospitality. They delivered food with personal care and a high attention to detail at all times.
