Chef’s Cheat Day: Where does Chef Willy Trullàs Moreno get hot and spicy?

When you’re known in the industry as the “sexy chef,” your cheat days are equally as sexy. Here’s where Chef Willy Trullàs Moreno likes to dine when he’s not busy in the kitchen at El Willy.

One of the most colourful new restaurant openings last year, El Willy Kitchen opened in a tucked-away location on Sukhumvit 51 in late October, first with select tasting menus only, and now with full a la carte options to suit. Frequented by respected chefs and foodies, and anyone who has ever been to The Bund flagship and is familiar, El Willy Kitchen is quickly becoming a Mediterranean talk-of-the-town hotspot. The man with the colourful hats and patterned shirts behind it all? Chef Willy Trullàs Moreno.

Barcelona-born and now Bangkok-based, Willy (whose real name is ‘Guillermo,’ in case you were wondering), is behind various vibrant dining outlets across Asia. Most famously, he’s the brains behind El Willy Kitchen in Shanghai, the original El Willy flagship, but is also at the helms of his own restaurant group, which takes care of La Paloma, Tomatito, Bandido, and TGFP. The various projects are scattered across Shanghai, Hong Kong, Manila, and now Bangkok.

Serving up traditional Spanish, Mexican, or even Japanese dishes in a contemporary manner, the secret to Willy’s success is simple: just have fun with it. In our chat with him, this message becomes very clear, as his kind, down-to-earth and downright refreshing energy brings something sweet, honest, and exciting to the local dining scene. With a wealth of experience in the food and beverage industry across Asia, we quickly became curious as to how he spends his cheat days now that he lives here.

When he’s not busy cooking up a killer paella, a selection of “Bikini Iberico” sandwiches, or a classic Basque cheesecake, here’s where Chef Willy Trullàs Moreno gets his best bites in Bangkok. Read on for where he goes for family meals and fiery delights, as well as the best stir fried mantis in town. Vamos!

For comfort food, it’s got to be Appia

Appia is one of the most beloved Italian restaurants in Bangkok, and it comes as no surprise that Chef Willy too likes to dine here. Serving up Roman comfort food in classic interiors, here, Chef Willy says that the Cavatelli pasta with lamb ragout and tarragon “is a must.” He also highly recommends the zucchini salad and cacio e pepe, both of which prove that when it comes to a real and simple classic, Appia does it best.

Find out more: Appia

The best yakitori in Bangkok Chef Willy finds at Toritama

For quality Japanese food, Chef Willy heads to Toritama. The Tokyo restaurant serves up a unique experience of authentic yakitori, and the chef names it as his favourite in Bangkok — “as great as a great one in Tokyo.” Here, he orders the “shiny and super juicy” chicken liver yakitori, as well as the charcoal duck tossed with a special wasabi sauce. He also highly recommends the Chouchin skewer, which features an unlaid egg yolk.

Find out more: Toritama Bangkok

When he’s feeling hot, he goes to Khua Kling Pak Sod

Cranking up the heat, Chef Willy heads to the original Khua Kling Pak Sod branch on Thonglor. Here, they serve traditional southern Thai cuisine, which comes with fire and spice to suit. The chef is often found ordering the “Satow Pad Kapi Goong,” which is classic southern stinky bean dish served with shrimp, as well as the “Khua Kling Moo Saab,” composed of a minced pork curry that is, in the words of Chef Willy, “ultra spicy.” For something slightly cooler (with an equal kick nonetheless), he also enjoys the “Yum Pla Salid” crispy fried fish salad.

Find out more: Khua Kling Pak Sod

Reminiscing on his time in Shanghai, Chef Willy says Sing Tia Sua is a must-try

When he’s missing one of his many other homes, Chef Willy likes to head to Song Wat Road and dine at Sing Tia Sua. Having lived in Shanghai for many years, this Chinese family-run restaurant feels “just like being in China” to him. He fills the table with comfort Hunan and Sichuan dishes here, including spicy pig ear salad, mapo tofu with pork, and shredded potatoes sautéed with chili. These are just a few of the “great home-style hits, amongst many others.”

Find out more: Sing Tia Sua

Ending on a fiery note, he swears by stir fried mantis shrimp at Here Hai

Here Hai is a really beloved insider foodie spot, so it’s no wonder that Chef Willy is a regular. He loves heading to the “great, small, and usually very busy” Here Hai, which specialises in the foods of Surat Thani. Chef Willy’s must-order dishes here? “The insane crab meat fried rice and the stir fried mantis with garlic and chili.” If you know, you know — and if you don’t know, you definitely must try.

Find out more: Here Hai