Chef Eric Williams of Momocho Mod Mex: The Man Behind the Masks

Restaurateur Eric Williams has enough titles under his belt to rival the luchadores (Spanish for Mexican wrestlers) memorialized on the walls of his two Mod Mex eateries: Momocho (Latin slang for “hellion little boy”) in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood and El Carnicero (which means “the butcher” in Spanish) in nearby Lakewood.

A non-Latino who shies away from eating spicy food may seem an unlikely hawker of taquitos and tamales, but the folks at the James Beard Foundation disagree. A two-time nominee for Best Chef in the Great Lakes Region, Williams claimed the Best Chef honors in Cleveland Scene Magazine’s 2015 awards.

Last night, Williams completed as a finalist on Guy’s Grocery Games for a chance to double the $16,000 prize he took home in the semi-final round with his signature Pork Chop Al Carbon topped with Oaxacan Chocolate Mole. We met with Williams in advance of his appearance to learn about the many facets of his fast-paced life behind the scenes. [pagebreak]

The Guy’s Guy

While Momocho is not a diner, drive-in or dive, being showcased on Guy Fieri’s Food Network program in the 2010 “Twists And Traditions” episode has undoubtedly made his 72-seat restaurant a destination for diners many miles beyond the Rust Belt. “People have driven five hours or more just to come for dinner because they saw it on the show,” he said, sounding almost flabbergasted. He went on to sing the presenter’s praises and insisted he’s a “good guy” who’s philanthropic and more laid-back than his amped-up TV persona suggests.

The Graduate

In spite of what’s been written, Williams not only finished high school while moonlighting in restaurants, but attended Baldwin Wallace University on a soccer scholarship, too. After a couple of years though, full-time earnings outweighed higher education, and with his parents’ support, he made the pivotal move toward foodservice as a career path. While he put the school books behind him, it was within the pages of the Latin cookbooks his father gave him that he found his inspiration. [pagebreak]

The Family Man

As the old adage goes, “Behind every great man is a great woman.” In Williams’ case, this rings as true as ever. He has been married to his wife and high school sweetheart Heather for 21 years. Its Heather whom he credits with providing the support and making the sacrifices he’s needed to pursue his dreams. Their teenage son Jax didn’t fall far from the tree. Already cutting his teeth as a bus boy and bar back at El Carnicero, he has ambitions for a food truck venture. In their rare moments off, the family explores as yet undiscovered eateries in Northeast Ohio.

Jack of All Trades

Since taking the helm of his flagship in 2006, Williams has been hands-on as head chef while tackling a tall order of tasks as they roll in, from marketing to management and everything in between. A self-declared workaholic, he tempers time spent building his own empire by mentoring a stellar staff. Hand picking a team he entrusts to carry out his vision has enabled both Mod Mex establishments to prosper and made way for new partnerships. Among these are two Happy Dog restaurants. This spring, Cleveland Indians fans can enjoy the Happy Dog cart at the ballpark that will debut serving gourmet links from Blue Ribbon meats piled high with toppings that range from the ironic “Brazilian” Chimichurri (a recipe originally credited to the country’s fiercest futbol rival: Argentina) to the iconic Cleveland-made Stadium Mustard.

If Mod Mex cuisine is beckoning you to visit the Rock ‘n Roll capital of the world, trust me: You’re not alone. Until then, try one of his most popular recipes, the Mod Mex Caipirotada, here.