October 10th 2023.
Darius Williams, also known as Darius Cooks, has been stirring up controversy in the Indianapolis Black dining community. The former restaurateur was in Indianapolis as part of his “Dining with DariusCooks tour”, a paid dinner tour between October 6th to the 8th.
During his time in the city, Williams visited 10 Black-owned eateries and live-streamed his scathing reviews. He has been harsh in his opinions, citing long wait times, canned sides, and fried food-filled menus.
Though it may seem hypocritical, Williams is no stranger to controversy himself. He has owned and operated multiple full-service restaurants in Atlanta and Chicago, however none of them have remained open. He recently spoke with Tasha K about his failed Soul Crab restaurant in Atlanta, where customers complained about long waiting times of up to four hours. He admitted to making mistakes, and claimed he will never open up another restaurant as long as he lives.
He admitted that the food he experienced in the Black-owned restaurants was “amazing”, but stated the issue was with his “staff” being “on their best behavior”. He also cited how Black-owned restaurants are typically underfunded and understaffed.
Williams is now seeking the same grace from the Indianapolis Black dining community that he received from his Atlanta patrons. He should extend the same grace to the Black dining community, as it is ironic that he is now passing judgement when he has failed as a restaurateur himself.
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