Lokky’s near Saundersfoot welcomes new chef and launches traditional Sunday lunches

Lokky’s restaurant at The Woodridge Inn Hotel near Saundersfoot has welcomed a new head chef. Guillermo Nibay, or Chef Guilly as he is affectionately known, previously worked in several award-winning restaurants and gastropubs in England and brings experience of both Pan-Asian and traditional British cooking.

Guilly started his career as a chef for Philippine Airlines before moving to the UK to pursue his ambition of becoming a head chef. He started working as a chef de partie in Chesford Grange Hotel Hotel in Kenilworth before becoming sous chef at the Virgins and Castle, also in Kenilworth. Finally, he moved to the prestigious Russell’s of Broadway restaurant in The Cotswolds before taking his new head chef position at Lokky’s.

“Each progression has been another step in the ladder to my goal of becoming a head chef at a fine establishment and that goal has now been met as I arrive at the Woodridge Hotel and at Lokky’s,” he said.

“But my drive does not stop here. With my skills and the passion of the owners of Lokky’s we hope to bring Pan Asian cuisine to the next level here on the West Coast of Pembrokeshire. We are aiming to bring culinary excellence which incorporates our cultures with a modern twist to the palette.”

Lokky’s opened this summer after Lok and Jenny Cheung, who also run the successful Dragon Palace Chinese restaurant in Pentlepoir, took over The Woodridge Inn Hotel. They were keen to showcase Asian food at Lokky’s but to do something different – so the menu combines Pan-Asian influences.

They have also launched a new, traditional Sunday roast lunch offering as this was one of Guilly’s specialities in his previous place of work.

Lok Cheung, co-owner of The Woodridge, is delighted with his new chef.

“He’s only just joined us but he’s doing brilliantly already,” he said. “Our Sunday lunch offering is a great new addition, and we’re also excited to be offering an appealing mix of pan-Asian cuisines, including Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Filipino dishes. It was important to us to recruit a chef with the correct level of skill and experience to really deliver on all of this. We aim to offer something a bit different here and Guilly is really helping us create a very special menu, built on excellent local produce.”