Willy Moya
Chef and owner of Poncio by Willy Moya in Madrid, previously behind three Poncio restaurants in Seville.
- Restaurants
- 1
- Born
- 1971 · Madrid
Willy Moya, born in Madrid in 1971 and trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, built his career around three Poncio restaurants in Seville, including Poncio Triana, before advising kitchens in Turkey and returning to Madrid, where he opened Poncio by Willy Moya in November 2021. The tapas-and-restaurant hybrid, beside the Retiro park, holds a Repsol Solete and has featured in the Michelin Guide since 2023.
Biography
Early years
Moya was born in Madrid in 1971 and describes himself as madrileño by birth and Andalusian at heart. He trained in cooking and pastry at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.
Career
At 17 he opened his first restaurant, championing Andalusian cuisine. From his restaurant Poncio in Seville, he led a movement of young Andalusian chefs (alongside Dani García and Ángel León) that put history, product and technique at the centre of their cooking. He went on to run three restaurants in Seville (Poncio Triana, Poncio Cartuja and Taberna Poncio), and was executive chef of the Hotel Alfonso XIII, before spending seven years advising restaurant kitchens in Turkey, including Cantinery in Istanbul. He returned to Madrid in 2018 and opened Poncio by Willy Moya there in November 2021. The restaurant has been selected for the Michelin Guide Spain & Portugal since 2023 and holds a Repsol Solete awarded the same year.
Philosophy
His cooking, which he calls "cocina culta andaluza," reinterprets the Andalusian culinary repertoire through the lens of history, product and technique, later enriched by the mestizaje picked up during his years in Paris, Istanbul and Seville. The menu skips traditional starter-and-main courses in favour of dishes built around Andalusian touches and travelling influences that also draw on Asia and Mexico.
Restaurants
Accolades
- ·Michelin Guide Spain & Portugal selection, Poncio by Willy Moya (since 2023)
- ·Repsol Solete, Poncio by Willy Moya (since 2023)
Frequently asked
Who is the chef at Poncio by Willy Moya?
Willy Moya, born in Madrid in 1971 and trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, is the chef and owner.
What cuisine does Poncio by Willy Moya serve?
Andalusian-rooted tapas cuisine shaped by his years cooking in Seville, Paris and Istanbul, with Asian and Mexican touches picked up along the way.
When did Poncio open in Madrid?
In November 2021, near the Retiro.
Where did Willy Moya cook before opening Poncio in Madrid?
He ran three restaurants in Seville (Poncio Triana, Poncio Cartuja, Taberna Poncio) and was executive chef of the Hotel Alfonso XIII, and spent seven years advising kitchens in Turkey, including Cantinery in Istanbul.
Does Poncio by Willy Moya have a Michelin star?
No. It has been selected for the Michelin Guide Spain & Portugal since 2023, which isn't a star, and it also holds a Repsol Solete.
What does Willy Moya call his style of cooking?
He calls it "cocina culta andaluza," reinterpreting Andalusian dishes through history, product and technique.