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Will Lawrence
So many people out there trying to find the recipe for getting rich quick or the new fad on how to make money. And it's just a tried true formula. You just become great at something and eventually you'll make it, you know. So that's what I want people to take away, especially.
Narrator
William Lawrence is a Michelin trained chef, entrepreneur and the founder of Lawrence Food Group. He creates exceptional dining experiences through world class cuisine, personalized hospitality and a commitment to excellence that, that transforms every meal into a lasting memory.
Will Lawrence
My experience in these fine dining restaurants as well as working in the homes of some of the wealthiest people in the world, it's really put us in a unique niche. We can offer our services to some of the most distinguished people in the world.
Jason Tyler
What do you have to say to the young guy out there, the young entrepreneur who's like, I really don't know what to lock in on.
Will Lawrence
Know yourself, know what your habits are. Know what you lack at, know what you are good at. And then when you know what you're good at, like double down, double down. Because it spans the globe like a super highest cold Internet Elvis friends, today
Podcast Intro Voice
Apple is going to reinvent the phone. It's not over until I win the Living your Legacy podcast. For those who live to leave a legacy that's extraordinary. The impossible. Oh, that is sensational. Jordan Open Chicago. With the lead Usain Paul is the fastest man on the planet. You can live your dream.
Jason Tyler
Welcome back everybody to another episode of the Living youg Legacy podcast. I am here today with Will Lawrence out of New York. Will, welcome to the show.
Will Lawrence
Thank you, brother. I appreciate it. Pleasure being here. I'm enjoying the weather.
Jason Tyler
Pleasure you're having. You a little bit hot?
Will Lawrence
Little bit.
Jason Tyler
But the humidity kind of. I think humidity heat is better than dry heat. You ever been out to like Arizona, Nevada?
Will Lawrence
I've never been, but I've been in Florida on some days when it's very dry and, and I, you're right, I do prefer it. You know, it's going to rain and at one point then you get a cool night.
Jason Tyler
I can smell it in the air when it's about to rain, which people think I'm crazy when I say that.
Will Lawrence
I believe it, man. I believe it. Because, because, because when you're out here, you know, whenever I'm with family or anything, they, they know off the bat they're like, it's probably going to rain in a few minutes. I'm like, it's beautiful out.
Jason Tyler
Yeah, it'll be like not a cloud in the sky. And you can tell. You're like, give it 15 minutes.
Will Lawrence
Yeah. And you get types of rain here like you don't see in New York. You'll get the raining on across the street, but it's dry here. You'll get like a. A mist rain that it doesn't even feel like it's raining.
Jason Tyler
Sun showers. Yeah. The whole night.
Will Lawrence
It's beautiful, though, man.
Jason Tyler
So, Will, we're about to go into filming your episode of Legacy Makers. Now, I ask this of everybody that comes on the show. When people see your episode, what's like the number one lesson you want them to be able to take away from your story?
Will Lawrence
The number one lesson I want people to take from my personal journey is that, you know, you can. It sounds cliche, but if you put your mind to something, you can do it, you know, no matter what your upbringing is, no matter what you think your set trajectory should. If you find something you love and most importantly, you dedicate the time and the discipline to become a leader in that craft, and that's amaze. You'll make it. It's really a simple formula. It's very rare that people dedicate a decade into something, become great at it, and don't succeed. And I feel like so many people out there trying to find the recipe for getting rich quick or the new fad on how to make money, and it's just a tried, true formula. You just. You just become great at something, and eventually you'll make it, you know? So that's what I want people to take away, especially for people that are young, because I feel like that was my superpower. I found out what I wanted to do at a fairly early age. And when you're in your mid-30s and you have more than a decade experience in something, it really sets you apart from a lot of people.
Jason Tyler
Yeah.
Will Lawrence
Because most people are finding out what they want to do in their 30s. You. You know, so that's.
Jason Tyler
I'm in the same boat. I'm in the same boat. I'm a decade into filmmaking now, and I look around and I see a lot of people and kind of my same age group. I'm 30. I'm 33 now. So, like, I'm gonna be 35. Yeah. So we're right there in the same age bracket. I look around to my left and my right, and I see a lot of people pivoting. What do you have to say to, you know, the young guy out there, the young entrepreneur who's like, I really don't know what to lock in on what, what's the, what's the advice in that, in that arena?
Will Lawrence
Well, when you're young, you know, thankfully you have the gift of time. Right. So as long as you're going into something with the right intention and only you know if you're doing that, if you're going into something because you just know there's money there, you don't really like it, or because somebody told you to do it, I wouldn't say that was a, that's a good route to go. But if you genuinely like what you're doing, there's skill sets in that area that you believe will make you better at what you do and let's say go for it. And then if you need to pivot, you have time on your side, but at least you were able to scoop up a lot of relative skill sets that can transfer to maybe the thing you want to do.
Jason Tyler
Yeah, there's always like overlapping skill sets.
Will Lawrence
Like if you're, I tell people too, like if you're just looking for money and you're young, get into hospitality. Like you're so.
Jason Tyler
I think everybody should work in the service industry at least once.
Will Lawrence
Lessons you can take from that. You, you realize that from the dishwasher to the head chef to the gm, everybody's role is like pivotal to, to the whole game. You know, if you ever worked in restaurants and the dishwasher calls out, you
Jason Tyler
know, for sure, oh, he's. You're backed up like hell that night.
Will Lawrence
It seems like such an easy thing. And you think they're low skilled labor, but when they don't show up.
Jason Tyler
Yeah, but then you want to serve. Foodie ain't got no plates.
Will Lawrence
Exactly.
Jason Tyler
And now, and now my manager is back there washing dishes, you know what I mean?
Will Lawrence
And even if it's the corporate world, like if you go into the corporate world with that understanding that the guy who cleans the toilets to my boss, everybody has a space here that makes this train go. That's a good, that's a good way to come in because there's a lot of people who don't think that way, you know, especially people I know in corporate fields. You know, I talk to them sometimes about, about hospitality and you know, how we like, resolve conflicts, how you get reprimanded if something goes wrong. And it's like miles away from the corporate life. It's very, you know, structured. Sometimes it's very almost fake. But when you're dealing with hospitality, it's like your actions produce results instantly. So if you're not Doing what you're supposed to do. You don't find out six months from now in an email. You find out today. You know, so I, I do think hospitality is a good way for anybody who's young to just get in. And you're guaranteed to leave with skills that will transfer to pretty much any other career.
Jason Tyler
Yeah, I'm 100. I agree with you. 100. Now I want to just kind of. You mean you brought up the hospitality industry. I want to just get a sense for, like, your trajectory of, like. When I got into the workforce, I started off as a mechanic. Oh, wow. I loved working on cars, right? But then I looked to my left and my right and I saw, you know, the shop foreman, the. The master mechanic at like 50, 60. They got the carpal tunnel in the hands, can't play catch with their kids. I was like, that's not the future that I want for myself. And you piv. Like, I pivoted into the restaurant industry. I bartended for like four years, and then finally I found a camera in my hands and I was like, that's the thing. But what was your trajectory?
Will Lawrence
I got into the hospitality industry when I was 14, and it was out of pure necessity. I needed a job. The quickest place I could find the job is the local restaurant, you know, so I worked there as a busboy slash dishwasher, slash delivering, you know, food orders. And I liked it. You know, it was decent money. I was able to balance it with school, but it was just a job at that point, I had no idea what I wanted to do. As I progressed through high school, same thing. Bounced to different restaurants, became like lead captain waiter at a big catering hall, doing weddings and things like that. And like so many kids, you get pressured. You need to go to college. You need to go to college. At that point, I didn't know I wanted to be a successful chef. I knew I was good in this industry, but I didn't have something solid to tell my mom, like, hey, this is the route I want to go. So I went to school completely wasted. A year at school. It was like the most expensive hotel I've ever been to at that point. And still, while I'm in school, I'm working at some restaurants, trying to work at like, the school cafeteria, because that's just what I was drawn to. And once I left that one year, you know, pretty much flunking out, I. I got back into working into restaurants at this time, you know, since there was no school, I'm doing full time double shifts and in between shifts, I would hang out with the kitchen guys because at that point, I was still a waiter.
Jason Tyler
And while also batching back to house the best people.
Will Lawrence
Oh, yeah, exactly. Like, when I'm in between shifts, everybody out front was super dry. Go in the back. You know, it's like a pirate ship crew. You know, you're like, you're cursing, you're telling, you know, edgy jokes. You know, most of them are Hispanics, or we're speaking Spanish back there, just, you know, living life. And then they would eventually tell me, hey, if you're gonna be back here, do something. So then I started chopping onions, doing things like that. The restaurant I worked at was actually pretty cool with me wanting to try things, so they would sneak in a little shift of me actually being a cook. So I can feel it out. And then I started. All my life, I was very much into, like, watching Food Network, watching these things. So I. I said to myself, hey, let me. Let me take a tour of a culinary school and just see what it's like. And when I went into these, I went to the French Culinary Institute. Now they merged with another school in Manhattan, but at that time, they had big building right in smack dab, SoHo, New York. You go inside, you see these kitchens. You see this bright white tiles on the walls, on the floors, these shiny stainless steel. Everybody in their dress whites. It just looked so sick. And seeing the. The. The confidence and the respect that the chefs commanded from everybody else, I finally looked at it, and I was like, oh, man. Like, I don't. I don't think I want to be a doctor or a lawyer or this, but I was like, but that guy like that. I think I can do that. And look at the way everybody's following him. Look how confident he is.
Jason Tyler
Yes, Chef.
Will Lawrence
You know what I mean? Exactly. And you is this is probably almost 20 years ago. Like, 16 years ago, 17 years ago. So, I mean, it's really cool now to be a chef and all this stuff. At that time, it still was like, you know, tell somebody I work in the kitchen or I'm a chef, they just think you're a cook. Nowadays, you tell somebody you're a chef, people actually have something that they can reference to, like the bear or.
Jason Tyler
Yeah.
Will Lawrence
Or Gordon Ramsay or this or that.
Jason Tyler
It's so much more prevalent in media nowadays, too cool, you know?
Will Lawrence
Yeah, but back then, it wasn't. But when. But when I saw that, I was like, yeah, I think. I think this is what I want to do. I just. I just Felt the first time I was ever somewhere and it was just like, yeah, like this is it. Everything was pointing me towards this. And, you know, I enrolled there. While I was there, I got some amazing jobs from, from some restaurants in the city, winded up working at one of the best restaurant ranked restaurants in the world. And then that led me to my journey of being a private chef to a bunch of different celebrities and then eventually open up my own company.
Jason Tyler
Now, it's funny because I tell people all the time I, I love food, loved my time in the restaurant industry, and I was working the bar, but I would always be back in the kitchen with the chefs. Like, those were my guys. And especially because the restaurant that I was working at, the head chef was Jamaican. I'm Jamaican, we're in, we're back there speaking patois. Nobody knows what the hell we're talking about. It's. It was what a time to be alive. But I always told people if I had never picked up a camera, I would have become a chef because I love cooking like that. And when my, my family knows, like, if I'm in the kitchen, I'm throwing down. When, when you kind of got your first feel for, like becoming a chef at a professional level, what was kind of like that light bulb click moment for you?
Will Lawrence
So, I mean, I, I progressed kind of quickly because of the route I had and just the opportunities that presented themselves. I was very much, I'm very much the type of person that even if I think I don't have the qualifications to do something or if I'm a little nervous about maybe this is too much for me, I'm like, we'll figure it out later, you know, like, like, let's just do it. The first step is doing it, and then I'll know if I can really do it. So my first executive chef position was actually at a restaurant in Westchester county in New York. And a gentleman was opening up a restaurant. He had a partner that was loosely friends with people in my family. And, you know, the highest position I had up until that point was like sous chef at a restaurant. This guy needed the executive chef to come in and start a restaurant from scratch, you know, develop menus, all these things. And I was like, yeah, let's do it. So I was really a part of starting a space from ground level. And at, you know, at our peak, we were doing 250 people for dinner while we're doing another wedding for 300, while we might be doing a sweet 16 downstairs for like 75 people. It's all coming out of one kitchen. So it was really like trial.
Jason Tyler
How big was the kitchen?
Will Lawrence
Oh, it was insane. It was huge. We had two part three party rooms, full dining room. It was. Yeah, it was very, very ambitious of them. And it was the first time these owners also had a place that big. So at the same time, it's, it's, you know, it's not like they had a huge, you know, financing behind it. So some weeks, you know, they're straggling for change, trying to pay for pay for orders. There's other weeks where the delivery driver might come and he didn't get paid, so he leaves with all my stuff. So, like, I'm dealing with, you know, running that and dealing with all the extra stuff, like those logistics stuff that, you know, that make it ten times more difficult. So it was cool. But I had no frame of reference reference because this was my first job as an executive chef. So in my mind, it's like this is what everybody goes through. Which this is also. Also another reason why I like just willing myself to do something new. Because when it becomes so difficult and then you get your next job as an executive chef, where everything's right, the money's always there, everybody's always on time. And I'm like, oh, crap. Like, oh, it doesn't this with my eyes closed.
Jason Tyler
Yeah, you've already. You've already gone through the fire. Exactly. Now when you. The other way. Yeah, if.
Will Lawrence
If I was. If my first job was perfect and then I go to a place like this, I wouldn't know where to begin. But because I had no frame of reference, it was, this is normal. I need to just go with the flow and do what I got to do.
Jason Tyler
There's as we sort of. Guys, I want to make sure, if you're still tuned in at this point, make sure that you check out Will's episode of Legacy Makers because we're going to do a much deeper dive into his story, much deeper dive into, you know, his background and what his current offer is in his business today. But I want to ask, you know, we're here at Inside Success, and one of my, one of my number one questions that I ask all of my guests is for the, for the entrepreneur out there, the business owner, the aspiring entrepreneur, what would be like? I know we talked a little bit about just kind of like perseverance and being able to push through, but what would you say is like your number one key tip for success?
Will Lawrence
It's, you know, there's. There's so many things That'll stick to different people. And I've. And I've learned this through managing, you know, so many different personalities. Some people really need a stern talking to. They need that David Goggins kick in the ass, get the F up a little bitch. You know, stuff like that.
Jason Tyler
Some kitchens need a Gordon Ramsay.
Will Lawrence
Exactly. And then there's other people that they don't respond well to that at all. They need you to lift them up. They need you to speak to them in a different way. And you just need to realize the type of person you are and be honest with yourself. Right. So you need to know, am I somebody who keeps everything to last minute and then I cram before, like, okay, you know, that's your personality. We need to work on planning ahead. If you know, you're the type of person that you don't excel in this one thing, but there's some adjacent skills that you can be amazing at. Like, you really need to get up on that. So I feel like you really need to just know yourself, know what your habits are, know what you, what you lack at, know what you are good at. And then when you know what you're good at, like, double down, double down. Because the bigger separation you can have between the next competitor, the better. So. And all of us are, you know, we feel a pull, a gravitation to something, you know, it might be. You might not know exactly, but maybe it's people. And if it's something people, then work around people. And who knows, it might become a consultant later on that puts people together and you're making million. You never know what, where these skills will. Will take you. So just know yourself and, and figure out what you're good at and just keep doubling down.
Jason Tyler
I'm a huge believer in that. Just double down on like the things that. And the knowing yourself part too, I think is super important for people because I feel like not enough people take the time or even are allowed the time. Maybe not say take the time, but a lot of people aren't allowed the time because of the pressure of being in a difficult situation to sit down and just have a moment of silence and journal or figure out like, hey, what? Who is me and what do I want?
Will Lawrence
You need.
Jason Tyler
What kind of person am I?
Will Lawrence
You need that time if you're, if
Jason Tyler
you're listening or if you're watching this episode. Like, take time away to just be like by yourself for a period of time. I think Covid did that for a lot of people and it gave. So I know so many business Owners that it gave them like a hard reset because they had time to just sit and figure out exactly who they were. And then they went and they attacked and they doubled down on what their skill sets were and now they're hugely successful business owner. Like Covet is really the reason I even got started like in film as opposed to like I just wanted to mess around with cameras. So I was doing photography for a long while and then Covet hit and I bought my first cinema camera and I was like, well, I ain't got nothing else to do but play with this. So yeah, and that's what it was.
Will Lawrence
That a lot from people they have like when it comes to covet, obviously barring that, you know, your family was healthy and you know, nothing along those lines happen. But some people look at it as like, like a little gift from God. They try to, you know, they took, they took this hard time and saw the best in it and like you said, they reflected. They, they looked inside. They took a much needed break because, you know, the world forced them to take a break closer with their family, figured out a passion, started a business. So just like same same thing that we were talking about before. There's so many things that can happen, but you can, you can take the good in anything. Whether it's the job, you don't know if that's going to be your career. You can take the good in that and bring it with you.
Jason Tyler
Amen, brother. Amen. Guys, again, this is if you're still tuned in at this point, make sure you check out Will's episode. It'll be coming out shortly after this podcast episode airs. Will, where can people find you on social media? Where can they find you on the world wide web at large?
Will Lawrence
So Lawrence foodgroup.com is our website. My Instagram handle is Lawrence Food Group as well for, for Instagram and most socials. And then my personal is chef Will Law. And on Instagram we post a lot of stuff from food, from recipes to events. You know, we do a lot of events for Oscar winning actors, royals, you know, business moguls. That's pretty much where we focus now. Thankfully my experience in these fine dining restaurants as well as working in the homes of some of, you know, the wealthiest people in the world. It's really put us in a unique niche. We can offer our services to some of the most distinguished people, people in the world.
Jason Tyler
I'mma see you at the Oscars, Dan.
Will Lawrence
I hope so.
Jason Tyler
All right. All right. Well guys, this has been another incredible episode of the living your legacy. Podcast again. I'm your host, Jason Tyler. Will Lawrence in the house. We will catch you guys in the next one.
Episode: From Dishwasher to Michelin-Trained Private Chef
Host: Jason Tyler
Guest: Will Lawrence, Michelin-trained chef & founder of Lawrence Food Group
Date: July 22, 2026
In this episode, Jason Tyler sits down with William (Will) Lawrence, a Michelin-trained chef and entrepreneur who went from washing dishes in local restaurants as a teen to serving as a private chef for royals, business moguls, and Oscar-winning actors. The conversation explores Will’s journey, the lessons learned working across the service spectrum, and his advice for young entrepreneurs and aspiring professionals seeking their own legacy.
Will’s Core Message: Success comes less from shortcuts or trends and more from dedication to becoming truly great at one thing.
Long-Term Focus: Will urges young people to invest deeply in developing a skill or passion, noting that sustained effort over a decade or more sets you apart.
Necessity Breeds Opportunity: Will shares starting at 14 as a busboy, dishwasher, and delivery guy out of necessity, not passion.
Accidental Discovery: While bouncing between kitchens and college, Will realized his calling through time spent with back-of-house crews and a formative visit to the French Culinary Institute.
Transferable Skills: Both host and guest agree the hospitality industry instills vital, cross-industry skills, from teamwork and urgency to respect for all roles.
Role Appreciation: Will emphasizes the interconnectedness of all roles, whether dishwasher or GM.
Real-Time Feedback: Hospitality’s immediacy teaches personal accountability, unlike the delayed feedback of the corporate world.
Early Uncertainty is Okay: Will notes he didn’t have a clear plan starting out. He tried college, worked different front-of-house jobs, and only gradually moved to culinary school and high-level kitchens.
Take Risks, Figure it Out Later: Will’s advice for new opportunities is to step up, even if you don’t feel ready.
Trial by Fire: Running his first restaurant as executive chef, Will learned to handle everything from logistics to leadership, often under-resourced and under pressure.
No Frame of Reference: The extreme challenges of his first executive role set a baseline, so future jobs felt easier by comparison.
Individualized Motivation: Will has found people respond differently to feedback, whether tough love or support; knowing your own needs is vital.
Self-Awareness and Doubling Down: Will urges listeners to honestly assess their strengths/weaknesses and focus deeply on standout talents.
Intentional Solitude: Both hosts discuss the importance of carving out time for reflection and self-assessment, a process made possible for many during Covid.
Seeing Good in Adversity: Will encourages finding opportunities and growth even in tough times or uncertain jobs.
On the Myth of Fast Success:
“So many people out there trying to find the recipe for getting rich quick...and it's just a tried true formula. You just become great at something and eventually you'll make it.”
— Will Lawrence [00:00]
On ‘Entry-Level’ Work:
“Lessons you can take from that. You, you realize that from the dishwasher to the head chef to the gm, everybody's role is like pivotal to, to the whole game.”
— Will Lawrence [05:35]
On Overcoming Early Career Doubts:
“I was very much the type of person that even if I think I don't have the qualifications...I'm like, we'll figure it out later.”
— Will Lawrence [12:36]
On Real-World Pressure Making You Stronger:
“Because I had no frame of reference, it was, this is normal. I need to just go with the flow and do what I got to do.”
— Will Lawrence [15:05]
On Doubling Down:
“When you know what you're good at, double down, double down...the bigger separation you can have between the next competitor, the better.”
— Will Lawrence [17:39]
Both host and guest offer candid, often humorous, and “real talk” insights. Will’s language is direct, motivational, and grounded in real experience, emphasizing not just ambition, but self-awareness, perseverance, and respect for every contributor along the journey.
Will Lawrence’s story embodies the principle that humble beginnings, self-knowledge, and relentless dedication—not shortcuts—are the real “recipe” for building a legacy, whether in food or any field.