Christan Willis

CHEF CHRISTAN WILLIS (33)

Private Chef

Atlanta, GA

Chef Christan Willis is an Atlanta-based private chef with a passion for cooking globally- influenced cuisine. Christian Willis is biracial and her cuisine draws from her unique heritage of African American, Southeast Asia and Pacific Islander roots. Her mother is from St. Lucia and is a combination of South East Asian and Spanish/Filipino and her father is African American. Diversity in life and food is all she knows, and she embraces it in every facet of her life. Blending flavors and cooking for clients all over the world, she surprises her clients with new recipes or twists on classic dishes. Currently, Christan has 18 years experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry, working almost every position: from server, hostess, bartender, pastry chef, prep and line cook.

Her father encouraged her at age fifteen to begin working in restaurants while in high school. She began by working at a Pan-Asian fine dining restaurant in Atlanta called Silk. During that time, she also  taught kid’s cooking classes at Young Chefs Academy. Christian then attended culinary school at Guynnett Tech and did an externship in Disney, learning to cook in high volume for over 1200 people during a shift. She worked under Ford Fry at his Mediterranean/Spanish restaurant called St. Cecilia, as well as worked at Ten Bistro and Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Citrocos and Victoria and Albert. Her culinary achievements include recently being awarded Heradura Tequilla’s Extraordinary People Award, Big Brother Big Sister Iconic Mentor, as well as being featured in Modern Luxury as Jezebel Magazine’s Most Beautiful Atlantans.