At the heart of Nelson hospitality

The Williams family has been steeped in Nelson hospitality since 2010 – though it has been in their blood for far longer, with over 50 years of collective experience in the industry.  

Their grandfather owned a café in the midlands of England back in the mid-20th century, and his son, Ian, began his career in a London kitchen in the ’70s. 

He married Sally and the eldest of their four children, Phil, began pouring pints in their hometown of Thornbury, Bristol, before going on to manage many bars and restaurants in Auckland, Mt Cook and Queenstown after the whole family moved to New Zealand in 2004.  

There, Phil met his wife, Alice, who also trained in front of house and function management, but has since moved her sights onto the books and manages the business accounts.  

Meanwhile, Phil’s brother Chris landed a chef apprenticeship at SkyCity in Auckland, working under some of the best chefs in the country. After completing training, he went on to manage multiple kitchens in New Zealand and in the UK. Fellow Williams siblings Howard and Zoe were both thrust into hospitality after leaving school and haven't looked back since.  

Here in Whakatū Nelson, Howard has been the manager of The Vic Public House for years, bar a year or two off when little sis Zoe took the reins. Originally known as the The Vic Rose, the pub was founded in the mid-’90s and quickly became Nelson's premium watering hole. The Williams crew took over in 2010 and, more than 10 years later, are still going strong.  

Zoe manages sister company Culture Burger Joint (formerly Burger Culture), right next door to The Vic. Nelson’s only dedicated burger joint, their fundamental goal is to create a destination that delights the senses. Where people can be nostalgic and cast their minds back to when they were a kid. 

For Howard, Zoe and the entire Williams family, hospitality is what it's all about – creating an environment where people from all walks of life are welcome, making your house a home for anyone who enters it and regenerating that person for whatever they're off to next. 

Read more about The Vic Public House and Culture Burger Joint on the Uniquely Nelson website.