Bryn Williams

Bryn Dwyfor Williams (born 6 June 1977) is a chef originally from Denbigh, Wales. He is the head chef and sole proprietor of Odette's Restaurant, Primrose Hill, London. He shot to fame as merely a sous chef in 2006 by beating established and well-known chefs to cook the fish course for the Queen's 80th birthday celebrations on the television programme Great British Menu. He is now widely regarded as one of Wales' best chefs and one of Britain's new crop of "celebrity" chefs. In June 2015 he opened his new bistro, Bryn@Porth Eirias, on the sea shore in the north Wales town of Colwyn Bay.

Bryn Dwyfor Williams was born and raised into a farming family near Denbigh, Wales, with his brothers Gareth and Siôn. His father Efion, a mechanic, is one of seven children, four of whom became farmers. Gwenda, his mother, is a doctor's receptionist. He received all his education through the Welsh medium before moving on to college. He attended Ysgol Gynradd Twm o'r Nant, Dinbych (Primary) and Ysgol Uwchradd Glan Clwyd, Llanelwy (Secondary). Williams lived in Dinbych until he was 18, then moved to London.

Williams's interest in food began as a young child during a primary school visit to a bakery in Dinbych. Seeing the individual ingredients turned into bread sparked an interest in food and its processes that would stay with him. He later worked at the same bakery as a teenager on Saturday mornings. He also developed a respect for food whilst growing vegetables, fishing and shooting for game on his uncle's farm as a youngster.

After leaving high school at the age of 16 he attended Coleg Llandrillo Cymru – studying catering – where he was awarded student of the year. In 2009 Williams was appointed Skills Ambassador for the college, a position specially created for him.

After leaving college and working in Cafe Nicoise in Colwyn Bay, he was encouraged by head chef Carl Swift to take his skills to London. He was taken on by Marco Pierre White at the Criterion.