Coastal Virginia Culinary Awards Winner 2024
From the Nov.-Dec. 2024 issue of Coastal Virginia Magazine:
At 350 Grace, Chef Willie Moats isn’t just serving Southern food—he’s reclaiming it. As a chef-owner of color serving a style of cuisine in which tradition often overshadows innovation, Moats offers an original, personal take on Southern cuisine: 100% gluten-free, organic, high-market yet deeply soulful. His dishes, like Shrimp and Grits and “Must Have Meatloaf,” are rooted in the flavors of the South, but he diverges into new territory with technique, presentation and philosophy.
The modern, moody vibe of the restaurant, with its exposed brick, deep blues and reds, and vibrant food-themed artwork, complements the elevated Southern menu. Known for his work at Timbuktu and Byrd & Baldwin, Chef Moats is creating something that speaks to both his personal journey and the evolution of Southern cuisine. In a space that’s often seen through a singular lens, he’s pushing the conversation forward, offering diners a glimpse of what’s possible when passion, creativity and identity meld together on the plate.
