Meet Chef Wayne: A Lifetime of Food, Flavor and a Sauce All His Own
Anthony “Chef Wayne” Williams has spent more than 40 years in food service, but his love of cooking started long before it became a career.
His mother began teaching him to cook when he was 9, and his father, Leslie W. Williams, spent about 20 years in food service with the U.S. Air Force. When Williams later joined the Army and was stationed in Hawaii, food became a connection between father and son.
“We would sit on the phone and just talk food,” Williams said.
Williams followed his father into food service, but chose the Army, serving 22 years before retiring in 1999. His career eventually brought him to Alabama in 2012 to work with military dining operations at Fort Rucker, and Enterprise has been home ever since.
Becoming Chef Wayne
The nickname “Chef Wayne” dates back to his military and federal service days. After surprising co-workers with barbecue ham hocks at an employee cookoff, he was dubbed the “undercover chef.” Soon, friends began calling him Chef Wayne, using his middle name, and it stuck.
His experimentation with barbecue sauces started years ago with a creation he called Orange Picante. Eventually came The Stiky Iky, a name inspired by a friend who described the sauce as “sticky” on his fingers. Williams has since rebranded around Chef Wayne, bringing his own story and personality to the forefront.
More Than a Barbecue Sauce
Today, he creates sauces including Garlic, Honey & Ginger, Pineapple Habanero and Peach, Chocolate & Bourbon, which he calls his “alternate steak sauce.”
Williams sells primarily at the year-round Enterprise Farmers Market and at area festivals while working to expand the Chef Wayne brand.
“It’s not just a barbecue sauce,” Williams said. “It’s a very versatile sauce.”
And after four decades in food service, he is still finding new ways to improve it.
Chef Wayne’s Pico de Gallo & Cheese-Topped Grilled Ribeye
The Recipe
- Ingredients
- Ribeye steak of your choice, thick, thin or tomahawk
- Mexican or taco-blend shredded cheese
- Pico de gallo, store-bought or homemade
- Chef Wayne’s Peach, Chocolate & Bourbon Q-Sauce
- Chef Wayne’s Put It On Everything Seasoning
Directions
Season the steak on both sides with Put It On Everything Seasoning and let it rest for one hour.
Remove the pico de gallo from the refrigerator and allow it to come closer to room temperature.
Heat the grill to 375 degrees. If using an oven, set it to broil. Cook the steak to your desired doneness.
Top the steak with pico de gallo and shredded cheese. Turn off the grill or oven and return the steak to the heat just long enough for the cheese to melt.
Remove the steak and finish with a drizzle of Chef Wayne’s Peach, Chocolate & Bourbon Q-Sauce. Serve immediately.
