Renowned Chef Appointed at Holiday Inn Sandton

He started out with two roles well suited to a young man of his talents – at the Ysterplaat Officers' Mess, where he was responsible for presidential functions and formal dining for top military officials, and at then as head chef at the Eurotower Youth Hostel in the UK.

"Food is my life, so whatever I was doing in my career or travels, I had to find a way to make it part of that," says Williams. "It was fantastic to be a young guy traveling in the UK and to be able to do the kind of work I truly loved."

But Williams was destined for greater things, and after a few more restaurant adventures in the UK, he returned to South Africa, where he began to climb his way up the culinary ranks of the best hotels in the country, including The Cape Grace, The Table Bay, The Bay, Phinda Private Game Reserve and The Palazzo at Montecasino.

"Working in some of the leading hotels in South Africa has given me the opportunity to create food that becomes a part of people's experience of the country," he says. "Food is an absolutely essential part of any leisure experience for me, and I want to be able to convey that to our visitors so that they remember a stunning view, a beautiful sunset, the roaring ocean, a hot city night, but most importantly the incredible meals that they ate while they were there."

Williams has had his own share of celebrity, having appeared on Top Billing, worked as a private chef for rap artist Ludicris on his visit to the country, carried out cooking demonstrations at the Food and Wine Show and the Afrox Live Cooking Theatre, hosting celebrity chefs from the UK, as well as the CEO of Swiss Air for a private nine-course dinner in the Palazzo and catered for VIP guests like Bill Clinton, Fidel Castro, Marion Albright, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Kennedys.

He will be adding his personal and highly experienced touch to the dining room at the recently opened Holiday Inn Sandton – and it's sure to be sumptuous.