Frank Camorra

MoVida chef proprietor Frank Camorra was born in Barcelona.

Frank spent five years studying architecture before deciding to become a chef, training under the Grossi family at their original Café Grossi in Toorak.

In 2000 and 01, Frank returned to work in Spain and was inspired by both the modern and traditional aspects of Spanish cuisine as well as the dynamic tapas culture which he thought would translate well to Melbourne’s vibrant CBD.

Movida moved from its first home at the Carron hotel to the current Hosier lane site in 2003.

At Movida we embrace the spirit, the fun, the essence of the great bars of Spain. We cook the food of Spain using Spanish techniques, both traditional and modern, constantly acknowledging that we are in the heart of Melbourne.

When we opened the doors to Movida in Hosier lane in 2003 we no one knew what to expect.  Here was this little bar on a graffiti covered cobbled lane near the cathedral serving Spanish tapas and shared plates in a down lit room playing funky tunes. It wasn’t purely Spanish, it wasn’t purely a bar, it wasn’t a textbook restaurant. It was what we in Melbourne do well – an amalgam of the food of our immigrant homeland, the skills of our chefs and the love of life of our front of house crew. People caught on that they could come in for a beer and a jamón croquetta at the bar and then move across to a table and share a plate of slow braised lamb, some patatas a lo pobre and down some seriously good Spanish red wine. People soon got the idea of MoVida and now people are coming from all over the world to eat and drink with us.

June 2008 saw the opening of MoVida Next Door, more southern Spanish in feel with a focus on Sherry and seafood it’s less of a restaurant and more of a casual bar with all the spirit that made MoVida successful only turned up a notch. It was this years winner of the age good food guides, “Donlevy Fitzpatrick award”

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