John Williams
Executive Chef
The Ritz, London

Joining The Ritz London as Executive Chef in June 2004, British born John Williams brought some three decades of hospitality experience to the venerated kitchens of the legendary Piccadilly hotel.  The son of a Tyneside fisherman, Williams developed his passion for food at an early age.  Taught by his mother to cook, and continuing with cookery classes at school, his culinary career began in 1974 with his first position as a Commis Chef at the Percy Arms Hotel in Otterburn as he studied for his City and Guilds at South Shields College.

While qualifying as a Chef at Westminster College, the young Williams started work at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, working his way through the kitchen operation until his appointment as Chef de Cuisine in 1982.  In 1984 Williams accepted the position of Chef Director at the Restaurant Le Crocodile in Kensington before joining the distinguished Savoy Group of Hotels and Restaurants in 1986.  During his impressive 18 year tenure with the Savoy Group Williams served as Premier Sous Chef at Claridge’s and Maitre Chef des Cuisines at The Berkeley before his move to head up Claridge’s kitchens as Maitre Chef des Cuisines in 1995.

A member of the Academy of Culinary Arts for the past 18 years, John Williams was invested by the Academy with a formal chair in 2001 and appointed Executive Chairman in 2004.  He continues to work tirelessly to promote the education and training of young chefs and is the Committee Chairman for the Academy’s Annual Awards of Excellence Culinary Skills discipline as well as a member of the Adopt a School Committee. 

The proud holder of a Pierre Taittinger International Award and the Craft Guild of Chefs Award in 2000, Williams has also represented Great Britain in the prestigious Bocuse D’or culinary competition and continues to mentor the English team.  In 2005 he was made an Honorary Fellow of Thames Valley University and in the same year was conferred with a CMA (the equivalent of an MBE) by the French Government.  In 2006 Williams was invited into the Worshipful Company of Cooks as a full Liveryman, and in the same year became a Member of the Wine Guild of the United Kingdom.  In 2007 he was given the Freedom of the City from Citizen and Cook of London and was also acknowledged by Le Conseil Magistral des Disciples d’Auguste Escoffier as a disciple of this distinguished order. 

In 2008 John Williams received the two most distinguished awards of his career.  The ultimate accolade came in January when he was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honour List for his services to hospitality.  Later in the year he was recognised again for his remarkable achievements and dedication to the industry at the annual Caterer and Hotelkeeper’s Hotel Cateys and was named winner of the ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Industry’n Award.

John Williams joined The Ritz after nine years as Maitre Chef des Cuisines at Claridge’s.  In his capacity as Executive Chef at The Ritz Williams oversees a kitchen brigade of some 54 chefs and is responsible for menus in The Ritz Restaurant , The Palm Court, The Rivoli Bar, Room Service and for the five banquet and private dining rooms in William Kent House.  The recipient of a Royal Warrant for Banquet and Catering Services from His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, The Ritz is the first and only hotel to have received this prestigious award.

Williams identifies his primary objective at The Ritz is to run the best hotel restaurant and the finest banqueting in Great Britain.  “I have always had a great love of The Ritz and for its time honoured traditions.  The forward thinking methods and beliefs of Escoffier, the friend and collaborator of our founder Cesar Ritz, have influenced my career significantly and it is a pleasure and an honour to be part of the culinary history of this great hotel.  I look forward to presenting The Ritz Restaurant and William Kent House as the finest dining venues in the capital.”