Just One Dish: John Williams’s langoustines à la nage

John Williams, the executive chef at the Ritz hotel in London, first learnt to cook with his mother. He grew up in a fishing family in South Shields, and his father would often bring home his fisherman’s fry, a collection that could include kippers, cod, haddock and on special occasions the claws of Dublin Bay prawns (aka langoustines) that hadn’t been sent off to be processed into scampi. It was these claws that gave Williams his first taste of them. “It was just such a divine, sweet seafood flavour. Even at that age I knew it was something special.” These early experiences were formative in the creation of his famed langoustine dish at the Ritz.
Eventually, Williams secured a job in the kitchen at the Percy Arms, a Northumberland hotel serving fine food, where he was charged with plucking grouse. He was quick to work his way up, however, making his way to London soon after to a job at the Royal Garden Hotel and, later, the Berkeley and Claridge’s, before moving over to run the show at the Ritz. Today, Williams oversees more than 60 chefs and creates the seasonal menus that have made the Ritz London a Michelin-starred culinary destination.
The chef has received numerous awards for his work including the Pierre Taittinger International Award and an MBE. In 2002, under Williams’s leadership, the Ritz also became the only hotel to receive a royal warrant for banqueting and catering services from King Charles, then the Prince of Wales. In 2024 he was appointed as the president of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts.
A meal at the Ritz is steeped in tradition, something that Williams deeply values. Dishes are served with expert precision and presentation is key. “If you walk into the Ritz restaurant, it’s a stage. Not only is it a stage, it sets a platform for everything to do with food.”