Julie Cortes still refuses to romanticize the title “chef.” “I’m just a cook and dishwasher sometimes,” she says while laughing. But the humility only makes her story more compelling.
Julie Cortes still refuses to romanticize the title “chef.”
“I’m just a cook and dishwasher sometimes,” she says while laughing. But the humility only makes her story more compelling.
Because behind that grounded attitude is someone who has spent over a decade sharpening her craft, helping shape some of Washington D.C.’s most exciting Filipino dining spaces, and carrying an entire culture through food with intention and care.
Today, Cortes serves as the executive chef behind Morena Cafe and Kayu, but her relationship with cooking started long before professional kitchens ever entered the picture.
Born and raised in the Philippines, Julie grew up surrounded by food, family, and constant movement inside the kitchen. Her mother worked abroad in Italy, so much of her childhood was spent with her grandparents and aunts. Cooking became the language she witnessed every day.
“I always saw them cooking and looking so happy doing it,” she says. “Cooking felt like memories, love, and culture.”
By seven years old, she was already helping her aunt prepare meals using a butter knife to peel garlic because she was still too young to hold a real knife. What looked like small childhood moments slowly became the foundation for everything that followed.
Professionally, Cortes entered the culinary world in 2014 through an internship at The Sagamore Resort in upstate New York before returning to the Philippines to continue climbing through kitchens. Eventually, she landed her first sous chef role at Wildflour, one of the Philippines’ most recognized restaurant groups founded by Chef Walter Manzke.
But moving back to America in 2018 shifted her perspective entirely.
Cooking stopped becoming only a profession. It became a way to preserve identity. “You’re expressing your culture to everybody,” she explains. “Sharing everything that you love to do.”
That mentality now sits at the center of Morena Cafe and Kayu, two concepts deeply rooted in Filipino hospitality while still pushing the cuisine into newer territory. Cortes describes Morena not as a replacement for the beloved restaurant Hiraya, but as an evolution of it. A softer and more casual daytime experience built around community, comfort, and storytelling through food. And the response has been overwhelming.
Weekend lines regularly stretch outside the cafe, fueled by loyal Hiraya supporters, curious newcomers, and Washington D.C.’s growing interest in Filipino food. But what separates Morena from trend-driven dining is the level of care behind it.
Chef Paolo, owner of Morena Cafe, Cortes, and the team intentionally spotlight lesser-known regional Filipino flavors, especially dishes inspired by the southern Philippines. Burnt coconut chicken bowls featuring palapa, a flavorful mix of turmeric, chilies, and grated coconut, alongside inventive matcha drinks inspired by Filipino desserts, all reflect a deeper commitment to education through flavor.
“We wanted to introduce flavors even some Filipinos don’t know,” she says. Still, Julie makes it clear that none of this exists because of one person.
Throughout the conversation, she repeatedly redirects praise toward the team around her. The baristas. The dishwashers. The prep cooks. The runners. The managers. The line cooks. But most importantly, Chef Paolo, as he has taught her a lot of what she knows today.
“If you don’t respect my dishwasher, I will not respect you,” she says firmly.
That mindset says everything about how she leads.
Julie Cortes is deeply locked into her craft, but more importantly, she understands that food is never only about technique. It is about people, memory, and creating spaces where others feel seen. And as Morena Cafe and Kayu continue to grow in D.C.’s food scene, Cortes is proving that Filipino cuisine can be both deeply traditional and fearlessly forward-thinking.
Headshots by: @marjanne.co
Food shot by: @reylopezphoto_
