Chef Chris Williams

Strong family traditions of hard work and home cooking played pivotal roles in leading Chef Chris Williams into a culinary career. As a child growing up on a farm in Olar, SC, he learned about the intrinsic value of locally sourced food and the sweat equity that went into producing it. He watched as his grandfather awakened before dawn to do odd jobs before heading to his job at a sawmill. And when his grandmother hit the kitchen to prepare family meals, Williams was at her knee, asking questions and learning the fine art of frying chicken and making the perfect pot of rice.

With both grandparents serving as role models, he developed a deep-seated longing to craft comfort foods reminiscent of those he enjoyed as a child. In 2014, after years of restaurant work and catering, that longing became reality when he opened Roy’s Grille inside of a Lexington gas station. Named in honor of his grandfather and inspired by his grandmother’s kitchen ethic, the restaurant is thriving thanks to Chef Williams’ winning formula that marries family tradition with a dedication to locally sourced ingredients and made-from-scratch foods.

This aesthetic also has won him the honor of being named a 2022 South Carolina Chef Ambassador. Through the program, the state’s most talented chefs are chosen to promote South Carolina’s culinary heritage and local food culture via cooking demonstrations, guest appearances and educational programs.

A rousing local favorite for smoky barbecue, tender ribs, crispy fried chicken and a lineup of signature barbecue sauces to titillate every palate, Roy’s Grille has elevated “gas station cuisine” to an art form. As a SC Chef Ambassador, Williams also will shine a spotlight on the spirit of Black entrepreneurship. The first in his family to start a business, he said he had no guidance in the process and little-to-no financial assistance with the initial investment. Despite the challenges, he has now been in business for seven years—a testament to his determination, hard work and refusal to allow fear of failure to grip him.

“In order to fly, you can’t be afraid to jump out of the nest,” he said. “It hasn’t been easy, but by having a strong will and true grit, I’ve been able to carve a path for myself.”