Self-Taught Black Tween Chef Who Cooked Through Racism and Still Ate

William – @cooking.withwilliam isn’t just good in the kitchen, he’s elite. A young, self-taught Black teen whose skills rival chefs with culinary school diplomas and TV deals, he shows up online doing what he loves, cooking with confidence, precision, and undeniable talent. And instead of applause, the internet’s usual suspects showed up with hate.

His TikTok was flooded with some of the most vile, anti-Black, racist comments imaginable. No critique of technique, no food debate, just raw jealousy and hatred aimed at a young Black boy who dared to be excellent and visible while doing it. Let’s call it what it is, bigots saw talent and couldn’t stomach it.

While those folks were busy recycling their tired little catchphrase, “well, well, well,” alongside every other racist trope in the handbook, something else was happening. People who actually know talent when they see it were paying attention. Industry professionals, seasoned chefs, and even world-renowned Chef Gordon Ramsay were giving William his flowers. Real recognition. Real respect. While anonymous trolls typed from the shadows, a Michelin-star chef was clocking William’s skill and making it clear, this young man is the real deal.

And here’s where the plot flipped. All that hate did exactly what it always does when it runs headfirst into Black excellence, it amplified it. William’s page exploded past one million followers and counting, proving once again that when the Black community shows up, we show out. The same people who tried to tear him down ended up building his platform brick by brick.

William’s story is bigger than cooking. It’s about resilience, confidence, and refusing to dim your light because insecure people are uncomfortable with it. He didn’t clap back, he cooked. He didn’t fold, he flourished.

This is what it looks like when our youth choose purpose over poison and excellence over excuses.

Celebrate William. Support him. Be inspired by him. And to the haters watching from the sidelines, take notes.

Don’t hate, emulate.

Follow William and support Black excellence!