Erind Halilaj

Erind Halilaj, Chef Partner at East Austin’s Il Brutto, was born in Albania and grew up in Italy, where his mom ran luxury hotels and taught him what 5-star hospitality looks like.

After earning a degree in economics and tourism, Erind followed his passion for food, training in Milan’s grand hotels before moving to the U.S. with JW Marriott and later leading kitchens in New York.

Since making Austin his home in 2017, Erind has shared a deeply personal vision of Italian cooking at Il Brutto: authentic dishes crafted from fresh ingredients, with no shortcuts.