About Us

National Beverage Director & Assistant General Manager

Born and raised in El Salvador, Assistant General Manager and Beverage Director, Oscar Amaya has always thrived in a restaurant setting, getting his first experience behind the bar. Amaya began his career creating libations in 2006 after a close friend suggested he would enjoy and excel at bartending. He was introduced to the owner of the landmark bar and lounge, Local 16 in Washington D.C., and was instantly hooked. 

Amaya worked at Local16 for over six years as a bartender, becoming a household name in the D.C. nightlife scene, and ultimately was promoted to bar manager. Thanks to his burgeoning reputation, he then went on to serve as bar manager at several trendy spots throughout the nation's capital, such as the Penthouse Pool Club, Tropicalla, and the high-end club Rosebar, where he continued to improve and perfect his craft. 

In 2015, hungry for new professional challenges and sunny beaches, Amaya moved to Miami, which has been proven to be one of the best decisions of his life. As a result, he has been fortunate to have the opportunity to work at some of the best bars and restaurants, such as Baby Jane and Micheline-starred Ariete, before joining the Rusty Pelican team as head mixologist in the Fall of 2016. Amaya now brings his creativity to the iconic Key Biscayne restaurant and lounge as beverage director and assistant general manager, crafting artful and inventive libations that reflect the refined waterfront atmosphere. Continuing his education, Oscar has successfully completed the Level 1 certification course at the prestigious Court of Master Sommeliers for the title of Master Sommelier, is a certified Sake Sommelier by the Sake  Sommelier Association, and is a certified Cigar Sommelier by the International Association of Cigar Sommeliers (IACS). Recently in 2022, Oscar was promoted to the role of Beverage Director and Assistant General Manager of Rusty Pelican Miami, acknowledged as one of the top 100 independent restaurants of 2021.

General Manager

Born in New Jersey and raised in Madrid, Spain, Devin Perez has been involved in the restaurant industry for more than fifteen years, garnering experience in various front of house positions. With a degree in hospitality management from Florida International University, Perez began his career with Tony Roma's Restaurants, where he rose through the ranks after starting as a host, managing every department for the national chain. From there, he went on to Ale House, a privately owned sports bar company with over 60 restaurants on the East Coast before moving to Crave, a Minnesota-based company that opened their first South Florida location in Coral Gables, serving as general manager. In 2016, he joined the Specialty Restaurants family as beverage manager of Rusty Pelican. Witnessing first-hand the wine culture at the upscale waterfront restaurant, his passion for all things wine exploded. In tandem with a revamp of the restaurant's wine list under the guidance of Master Sommelier Michael Jordan, Perez, along with twelve other Rusty Pelican staff received his Level I Sommelier Certification and is presently studying for Level II.

Executive Chef

Born and raised in Peru, Chef Fiorela Cornejo's passion for cooking started at a young age when she learned to cook at home and admired her cousin's journey through culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu Peru. Experiences like these ultimately led her to work at renowned establishments throughout Peru and the United States.

Following in her cousin's footsteps, Chef Fiorela completed a degree in Culinary Arts from Le Cordon Bleu Peru in 2006. Her excellent grades and experience paved the way for her to land her first job out of school as an executive chef for VIDA in Peru and several top restaurants in both Peru and the United States. Chef Fiorela's career highlights include but are not limited to holding titles at Adriana Restaurant in Miami Beach, FL; St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Bal Harbour, FL; Aji Carbon in Aventura, FL; and La Mar in Miami Beach, FL where she worked under famed chefs Gaston Acurio and Diego Oka. 

Chef Fiorela's impressive track record finally led her to join the Rusty Pelican Miami team as Executive Sous Chef. Her impressive cooking skills, attention to detail and leadership skills led her to grow in rank and be promoted to her current position as Executive Chef. The iconic, historic waterfront restaurant, recognized as a top 100 independent restaurant of 2022 by Restaurant Business, provides guests with extraordinary services, deliciously creative meals and spectacular views. Chef Fiorela's role includes menu modification and creation, planning and directing food preparation, estimating food inventory requirements and quality assurance.

Outside of the kitchen, Chef Fiorela loves traveling, dancing, cooking with her daughter Caetana, going out for nice dinners with her husband Jair, and spending time with her dog, Sinchi.

Director of Catering and Special Events