Merchant of Sonoma: Pioneer of the American Kitchen
A lifelong passion for good food led Chuck Williams (San Francisco, CA) to open the first Williams-Sonoma store in the California wine country in 1956. Since then, he has devoted much of his time to encouraging people to explore the world of cooking. Over the years he has steadily sought out new techniques, equipment, and ingredients to feature in his stores, catalog, and cookbooks, with the mission of spreading the pleasures of cooking at home. Now more than 250 Williams-Sonoma stores are open across the United States, and Chuck is widely recognized as a pioneer who revolutionized cooking in America.