Lawrence Weeks was raised in Louisville. He began cooking when he was a child and was heavily influenced by his parents’ international travels and extended family’s Cajun and Creole roots. Weeks began his professional career working in Atlanta under the tutelage of James Beard-recognized Chef Todd Richards. It was Richards who encouraged Weeks to share his roots through his food. Weeks returned to his home state of Kentucky, where he started LocalsOnly in Louisville, a pop-up concept focused on local people, products, and cuisine. In 2019, Weeks moved to Lexington and worked at Honeywood under Chef Ouita Michel for several years before moving to Louisville to open North of Bourbon, where he draws inspiration from his family in Louisiana and Texas, and his time in Kentucky. In 2023, Weeks and the North of Bourbon team opened Ensō, a concept influenced by the cuisine and techniques of Japan. Weeks has been named a 2024 James Beard Emerging Chef Semi-Finalist.