Art of the Asada with Cara de Vaca

Born and raised in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Chuy Villarreal defines himself as a self-taught cook, passionate about various fire, smoking and grilling techniques. After university, Chuy embarked on a prolific career in advertising, where he developed the creative skills that became key to his future ventures – especially when he decided to dive fully into the culinary world with concepts like Taquería Orinoco, Pinto Bar, Fritto Club and his most personal project, Cara de Vaca, where he revisits the tradition and evolution of grilling in Monterrey and other Northern cultures. His style is based on family recipes and street food heroes who find their place at restaurant tables. He loves working with fire and smoke and has a special fascination with experimenting with chilies and endemic spices, as well as creating flavorful and acidic dressings and sauces, both permanent presences in his tacos and most iconic dishes.