Crystal River Williams

Connect Who or what inspires you to cook?

Like many chefs, my original inspiration was my grandmother, Norma. Until Junior High, I was raised by my mother, who was a paranoid delusional schizophrenic. We hopped from place to place; tee pees in the desert, huts in the mountains without electricity or running water, garages, or the back of a car. Food was incredibly scarce, and normalcy was even scarcer. During the summers I would occasionally stay with my grandparents. My grandmothers cooking nurtured me in more ways than one.

What's your all time favorite dish to make?

I truly enjoy making riffs on breakfast sandwiches. There is something about exceeding peoples expectations of flavor. I consider a sandwich the Trojan horse of food. People bite in complacently and are ambushed by unexpected layers.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I closed then reopened 2 restaurants during the pandemic. Then opened another cafe right after, during which I was hit by a car, my house caught fire, I found out my mother was still alive then had to pull the pull the plug on her 2 weeks later, my son got arrested, and my ex-husband sued me. I'd take a vacation. I'd take 2 vacations. Then I'd finally write that picnic cookbook I've been chomping at the bit to write.