Jody Williams brings big French flavor to Grove Street

Photo credit: Max Poglia

The minute Jody Williams walks into Buvette during a bustling lunch service, she is greeted by a slew of friends and Franchofiles that are enjoying every morsel of her new Gallic venture. The lively, "everybody knows your name" atmosphere at her West Village gastroteque is exactly as it should be; homey and inviting, with no aires about it.

As I chat with Williams on a brisk fall day, we sit outside next to the signature Buvette bike, a French two-wheeler that you imagine the owner to be a lithe French woman with baguettes and greens hanging outside the shopping basket. At the moment, it is filled to the brim with wine corks. Williams situates herself near the front door so she can keep an eye on her gastronomes that serve as the host, servers, sommeliers, bartenders and baristas. It's a place built on the traditional way of working where "you roll up your sleeves and do every job," Williams says.

She has a zen-like quality to her, speaking from the heart with a genuine passion for cooking, serving, learning and teaching people about food. Her best advice for those that are thinking about becoming a chef? "Learn at the source. Feed your soul. Give yourself time. It takes a decade to really master the craft of cooking and be able to transfer it into your freedom as a chef in the kitchen."

Mousse Au Chocolat
Photo credit: Felicia Jamieson

Williams learned from the source herself. Before she traveled around Europe, she began cooking in San Francisco, working as chief steward at the Four Seasons Clift while Mario Batali was working in the kitchen as sous chef. "I took the job at the Four Seasons to see if working in food was what I really wanted to do. Mario was inspiring and there was a great energy about him and it affirmed to me that [cooking] is something I was [going to] do," says Williams.

Buvette at 42 Grove Street
Photo credit: Buvette

After learning the ins and outs of the kitchen, she  went to the source - Italy. "[Until then], I was always looking for something more real and traditional. I thrive in an environment where I'm extremely challenged and learning and it's new. I was further inspired by the [native] people that would always encourage me to cook, so [when] learning a dish I [received] a lot of affirmation from the culture and Italian and French people that would give me tidbits on their cuisine."

Not only has she learn from friends and patrons of her restaurants, she has surprised a few as well, by simply being a woman. "So often when I was working in Italian cuisine, there would be a group of Italians and they would ask the server 'Can I meet the chef - we would love to thank him' and when I came out and they realized I was an American woman and I spoke Italian, it was always a rewarding moment."

Fig tartine
Photo credit: Buvette 

She continues to surprise her French clientele that are strong in numbers at Buvette, which is always a good sign when the expats are dining in droves. "The French [guests] don't think an American will be making real cou qu vin or tarte tatin or aligot on par with traditional dishes and they are so disappointed when I come out and say "Can I help you?" in English because they assume a French chef is running the kitchen."

Maybe French expats feel so at home because that was William's intention, all along. Buvette is designed to feel like a romantic, yet rustic kitchen in Provence. From the chalked out map of France that details the wine list to the Warren Muller chandelier that hangs above a communal table in the back. You can see old meets new, traditional meets modern. She has nurtured a culture of food and wine where it isn't fussy or put on, but welcoming and accessible.  The bar is lined with small leather baskets filled with nuts, bottles of wine, fresh pastries, glass mason jars and cutlery, all things you would find in Mémé's house.

Photo credit: Buvette 

The love and attention to detail is found on the menu, as well. Williams showcases variations of croque monsieur, tartines, crepes and "just the right size" pastries to go with your morning or afternoon coffee. All are a perfect fit for her made up term of "gastroteque," a place that is suited for any time of day or night. "It can be your cafe, your early morning coffee, luncheonette, your before or after work bite, your indoor or outdoor picnic - it can be anything."

Everything seems smaller to the American eye in Buvette, or to those that aren't aware that Buvette actually means diminutive or small. "I have a strong reaction to everything that is so big. I don't want a croissant the size of my hand or a muffin that's as big as a softball. I want things that are tailored to go with an apertif or coffee or tea." Her restaurant lives by this philosophy where it is a place to gather, a joining of friends. This seems very nuanced at Buvette, but it's a very old concept that Williams has embraced and welcomes New Yorkers with open arms.

wEE Recommend Buvette for Breakfast meetings, lunch with clients, romantic dinner date, late night bite in West Village.

Photo credit: Max Poglia

QuickEE Questions for Chef Jody Williams: 

1. Besides Buvette, where do you like to eat? 
I Sodi - 105 Christopher Street @ Bleecker St. 
Takashi - 456 Hudson Street @ Morton St.
Pearl Oyster Bar - 18 Cornelia Street @ West 4th St.
Taim -  222 Waverly Place @ Perry St.


2. What is your favorite "I just got out of the kitchen and need a drink" drink?
My favorite drink changes with the seasons. I always enjoy a Negroni - I Sodi has the best Negroni in town. I drink Campari and soda like it's water. This summer I was drinking sparkling Gamay. In the winter, I enjoy vin brulé, a mulled wine that warms you right up - I think it's perfect before you go outside and crunch your way through the snow. 


3. What do you think is your greatest responsibility as a chef?
Take care of the world. We all have a responsibility to ensure that our generation isn't stuck eating [food like] GMO salmon and teaching them how to eat real things. There is this whole idea of stewardship [as a chef] which is really great to see.  


by Joleen Zanuzoski, Eatery Expert