FIORELA CORNEJO

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.