Christopher Kearse, a native of Lower Bucks County, attended the Restaurant School in Philadelphia and graduated valedictorian in his class. Chris has worked in an impressive array of Michelin-starred restaurant kitchens across the country including Charlie Trotter’s (2 Michelin stars), alongside Laurant Gras at Tru (3 Michelin stars), Grant Achatz at Alinea (3 Michelin stars), and briefly with Thomas Keller and Cory Lee at the French Laundry. In 2008, Chris returned to Philadelphia to work with Matt Levin as Sous Chef at Lacroix and from there headed over to the kitchen at Blackfish. Chris was been with Ian and Hillary at Pumpkin for over two years and took over the kitchen as Chef de Cuisine late 2010.

In the Summer of 2012, Kearse opened Will, a contemporary French BYOB, in the heart of South Philly on East Passyunk Avenue. Kearse believes that a dining experience should be entertainment. From the ambiance and interaction with the staff to surprising new textures and flavors on a plate. This philosophy on food is rooted in the idea of familiar flavors done differently.