Chad Williams
Friday Saturday Sunday | Philadelphia
April 2019
Philadelphian Chad Williams staged at Mugaritz and Guy Savoy after attending Howard University in Washington, D.C. He came back from Europe to Philadelphia to begin his tenure in the growing empire of James Beard Award-winning Chef Jose Garces. Williams worked for Garces at El Vez, Alma De Cuba, Chifa, and Amada, and also assisted Garces on “Iron Chef”.
Looking for a change, Williams worked at Eleven Madison Park in New York City. He then moved to California to stage at David Kinch’s now three Michelin-star Manresa and went on to work for Rising Star alum Joshua Skenes at three Michelin-star Saison. He returned to Philly to run the kitchen at Tela’s Market and Kitchen.
In 2015, Williams and then girlfriend Hanna Whitaker, also a Garces veteran, purchased Friday Saturday Sunday, a landmark Philadelphia restaurant opened in 1973. The pair closed the restaurant for 18 months, completed a gut renovation, and christened the new space by getting married there in October 2016. The restaurant reopened that December, with Whitaker running front of house and Williams serving timeless American cuisine with singular depth and character. Williams won Eater Philly’s readers’ choice award for “Chef of the Year” in 2017.
