Rodrigo Zavaleta

Rodrigo Zavaleta

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Rodrigo Zavaleta is a former chef who worked across multiple venues of the Merivale hospitality group in Australia for five years. Originally from Mexico, he was recruited under the promise of better working conditions and the opportunity for permanent residency, but he later described his experience as exploitative, marked by long hours and poor treatment. Zavaleta has since left Merivale and has become an outspoken critic of the company's practices regarding migrant workers.

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Recent news mentions

Rodrigo Zavaleta is one of the former Merivale chefs who claimed they were overworked and underpaid.

Good Food Guide drops Merivale after Sydney Morning Herald investigation
The Sydney Morning Herald·AustraliaAustralia· 2025-10-08
5.0

Former Merivale chef Rodrigo Zavaleta claimed the company preferred to exploit humans instead of vegetables.

Liberals distance themselves from Merivale’s Justin Hemmes
The Sydney Morning Herald·AustraliaAustralia· 2025-07-01
5.0

Rodrigo Zavaleta worked across four Merivale venues for five years and described the treatment of employees as exploitative.

Mexican chefs were sold the Australian dream by Merivale. It was all ‘smoke screens and make-believe’
The Sydney Morning Herald·AustraliaAustralia· 2025-06-29
5.0