The Team

Welcome to the incredible team at La Favorita! Prepare to be amazed by their genuine camaraderie, remarkable talent, and the sheer joy they bring to delighting all restaurant guests.

Emanuele Canuto

Executive Chef

Hailing originally from Piedmont, Northern Italy, Chef Emanuele Canuto’s genuine passion for cuisine was sparked from a young age, influenced by his family and particularly his grandmother.

Chef Canuto began his international culinary career from the age of 17 and has spent over 15 years honing his craft across a number of Michelin starred restaurants in England, Italy, Australian and Switzerland before settling in Hangzhou, China as the Head Instructor of the Chefinary International Culinary School in 2017. With deep experience and a traditional philosophy of using the freshest market-ready ingredients, Emanuele now brings his Italian culinary passion to Pirata.

A keen traveler and action sports fan, when Emanuele is not cooking up Italian delights and leading the team in the kitchen, you can find him snowboarding, scuba diving or more likely just cruising around on his motorbike.

Robert Raupach

General Manager

Originally from Germany, Robert grew up in a small village next to Dresden in Saxony, the smallest wine region in the country. His passion for hospitality started at the age of 14 when he began helping his Dad in a local hotel, serving breakfast and lunch on the weekends. After deciding to pursue a career in the food and beverage industry, he furthered his education to hone in on his craft at the Westin Dresden. This was followed by a move to London where he spent four and a half years working in a French restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental.

Working for the Mandarin Oriental sparked his interest and curiosity of Asian culture. Therefore, his next career move was an obvious choice and he was determined to transition into the F&B industry in Asia. In 2015 he moved to Hong Kong and was part of the opening team for The Fat Pig, followed by a two and a half year long stint in the small but well established 22 Ships.

Having had experience working with both French and Spanish cuisines, he wanted to challenge himself and explore a different area so he came on board at Pirata in January of 2020. He brings to Pirata his expertise in handling both larger sized restaurants and fast paced environments, making him a great asset to the group.