Team
Lead by Executive Chef Alejandro Saravia, the team at Morena welcome you to experience the warm hospitality of Latin America in the heart of Sydney.
Executive Chef
Alejandro Saravia
Credited with introducing Peruvian cuisine to Australia, Executive Chef Alejandro Saravia has been showcasing the flavours and traditions of Latin American cuisines in Australia since 2006. Originally from the gastronomic capital of Latin America - Lima, Peru - Alejandro has worked across Europe and Australia in some of the world’s leading restaurants.
Alejandro’s original Morena Restaurant in Surry Hills, Sydney was heralded by critics and shone a spotlight on Peruvian cuisine in Australia’s culinary scene.
In 2021, Alejandro opened the award-winning and hatted Farmer’s Daughters in Melbourne, Victoria showcasing farm to table produce from the Victorian region of Gippsland. In 2022, Alejandro went on to open Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters in Melbourne’s Fed Square.
Morena Sydney at 1 Martin Place represents a culmination of 15 years of Alejandro’s commitment to shining a spotlight on the cuisines from across Latin American cultures and providing Australians with the opportunity to experience their unique traditions and flavours.
Group Head Chef
Samuel Rivas
Originally from Margarita, a small Venezuelan island in the Caribbean sea, Samuel is from a Venezuelan and Peruvian family. It is his family, and particularly his Mum, who inspired his love for food - with food being central to all celebrations and an excuse to get together.
Samuel completed a Law degree before relocating to Australia and qualifying as a Chef. He has worked with Alejandro Saravia over the years, from commis chef through to Head Chef.
Head Chef
Gianni Moretto
Originally from Santiago de Chile, where he developed his passion for food and his ambition to become a Chef surrounded by his family who owned and operated seafood restaurants in the north of Chile.
Gianni is inspired by the similarity in seafood between Chile’s Pacific coast and the east coast of Australia and brings that knpwledge of ingredients in to his approach to connecting Australian ingredients to Chilean and Latin American dishes.
Gianni has developed his experience in a range of fine dining restaurants across Australia and Spain including as opening Head Chef for Sebastian at Tower Lodge (Hunter Valley).
Gianni has worked alongside Alejandro Saravia across Australia and, more recently, Gianni held the role of Senior Chef at Lumi and also Hubert in Sydney.
Group Venue Manager
Camilla Ure
Hailing from Perth, Western Australia, Camilla started out in hospitality at a young age and thrives on the creative opportunities that the industry brings.
Camilla has worked across stand alone venues and within hotels across both the West Coast and East Coast of Australia, including alongside Alejandro Saravia on a number of occasions. .
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