Will Silbernagel
How Crispy Express | Atlanta
april 2023
Will Silbernagel has been in the restaurant industry since he was 15 years old, working the line in restaurants across Atlanta throughout high school and college. Silbernagel went to college for accounting, but couldn’t resist the call of the kitchen. In 2008, he enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu in Atlanta, where his love for hospitality continued to grow. Silbernagel took a pastry position with Concentrics Restaurants and worked in the group's hotel kitchens around the city. After a few years, he made the move to the savory side and joined the team at The Bookhouse Pub, going on to help open several concepts for the group while experimenting with his own culinary style.
In 2020, Silbernagel leased a space for his own concept, but with the pandemic lockdown, he quickly had to pivot his plans. He began hosting his fried chicken sandwich pop-up on the second level of Halfway Crooks Beer, where (to the guests’ entertainment) he would lower down orders in a bucket suspended from the ceiling. After building a loyal clientele, he was ready to officially open his brick-and-mortar, How Crispy Express, in the Summerhill neighborhood in 2022. Silbernagel is on a mission to change Atlantans' minds about having dark meat in their fried chicken sandwiches, while offering lighter options too, like his vegan collard greens. He also engages with the Summerhill community by hiring people from the area, especially those in substance abuse recovery programs, and hosting neighborhood events.
