Photo by: Sekou Luke

Sekou Luke

Karl Franz Williams is the acclaimed owner and bartender at Solomon & Kuff's Rum Hall and 67 Orange Street in Harlem. In 2015, he also resurrected The Anchor, a historic bar in New Haven, Connecticut, located near Williams' alma mater, Yale.

Williams spent a decade working in the marketing and brand mamanement departments of Procter & Gamble and Pepsi Cola. While working with Pepsi, he began collaborating with noted mixologists and eventually left to open 67 Orange Street, rated excellent by Zagat in every category.

His most recent venture is Solomon & Kuff's Rum Hall, inspired by the extraordinary life of an 18th-century African slave who, through hard work and thrift, purchased freedom for himself and his family. The bar currently boasts over 100 international rums, as well as unique twists on classic rum cocktails.

Karl's Restaurants: