Led by Anthony Svilicich & Renee Byrne, Le Monde has accumulated a group of like minded & passionate individuals whose dedication to quality is second to none.

Anthony Svilicich

Co-owner

Anthony is co-owner of Le Monde café. After owning 3 mobile coffee vans, Anthony soon realised coffee was where his future lay. With the birth of Le Monde in 2005 also came the birth of a burning desire to learn and constantly improve his knowledge on coffee. Working with 5 Senses opened his eyes up to what good coffee is really all about. In 2008 he went on an inspiring origin trip to Sumatra, to see with his own eyes the journey a bean makes from the farm to the cup in order to better understand and appreciate what was behind that all important coffee his customers devour every morning without a second thought.

In 2009 he competed in the AASCA NSW Cup Tasting Competition and placed 1st, and then went on to place 4th in the Australian Championships. His love and respect for the bean, and industry he supports, led him to become an accredited judge of Barista competitions also. With an unsurpassed passion for all things coffee, it is his goal to continue to learn about and appreciate coffee in all of its drinkable forms, in order to pass on the best quality coffee in the cup and information to his customers.

Renee Byrne

Co-owner

Renee is co-owner of Le Monde café. Harbouring a dream to own a café one day, along with a love of food, coffee and all things hospitality, Renee is the binding element in the Le Monde mix. Entertaining family and friends at home just wasn’t enough to satisfy the needs of this self confessed foodie. Her understanding of food and its flavours are an essential ingredient in helping to bring the collaborative food element of Le Monde to the customers table.

With an insatiable appetite to satisfy the needs of the customer, and bring an experience to the table to match her own dining expectations, Renee is able to make anybody feel as though they are at home, or been a regular customer for years. Always knowing what a customer wants is a difficult task to handle, but with a heart warming smile, and a genuine concern, Renee is up to the challenge of satisfying any customers needs time after time, making her the shining star of customer relations and a priceless inclusion in the Le Monde team.

Chris Merrick

Head Chef

Chris is Head Chef of Le Monde, and after a 6 month stint in the Le Monde kitchen in 2008 before heading overseas, Chris returned to the helm in 2010 and hit the ground running. With an incredible cooking history at places such as Bistro Moncur, Bistro CBD, Boathouse, Marque, and most notably Sous Chef at Oscillate Wildly with Daniel Puskas, Chris has been able to adapt his chefing skills to a unique café environment.

His menu creations and seasonal daily specials are proof of Chris’ ability to create and produce fresh flavoursome dishes at reasonable café prices. The introduction of a Breakfast Degustation, which ran for 8 months in 2010, showcased Chris’ specialty and is greater proof of his skill and passion when it comes to creating a sensory journey of the palate in a café environment. His relaxed nature, sense of humour and wit are also a driving force in holding a busy kitchen together to produce phenomenal food with a light hearted temperament that makes everybody want to work alongside him. Chris is definitely an invaluable member with a bright future ahead.

James Naylor

Head Barista

James Naylor started working with coffee in his home town of Bowral working at the cafe 'Palate Pleasure'. In pursuit of more knowledge and experience he left Bowral and moved to Sydney to take a job at 'The Source Espresso Bar', a cafe and micro roastary in Mosman. James spent the better part of 3 years at The Source and gained valuable experience and knowledge along the way. Continuing on the hunt for experience James then made the move to join the team at Le Monde in May 2011 as Head Barista. James is passionate about great coffee, both filter and espresso brew, and is always keen to share that passion and knowledge with fellow coffee snobs and customers.

Lucy Pulham

Lucy moved to Sydney in 2002 and has been involved in hospitality for the last 7 years, working in various cafes and bars. Treating hospitality as a full time career, Lucy has been able to excel in her field via an unsurpassed dedication and professionalism towards the needs of customers. After a brief stint in overseas bars in 2008, Lucy landed on Le Monde’s doorstep in 2009 and the rest is history as they say. Lucy’s ability to adapt to any situation and task makes her an amazing all-rounder capable of managing a team, pouring great shots of coffee and helping customers leave with a smile and lasting memory of a great experience at Le Monde. Her attention to detail, solid work ethic, and performance consistency would prove a tough challenge for anyone in her field to better, or at best, even keep up with.

Lorén Maganja

Lorén Joined the Le Monde team in August 2008, making her the longest serving team member to date. After arriving in Sydney in February 2008, Lorén was no stranger to working in award winning venues, already acquiring some nifty hospitality skills from working in 'Elephant Boy' Café and 'Gumnut Patisserie', both award winning venues in her hometown of Bowral. Living and working in Surry Hills, along with her organisational skills, willingness to please, and happy go lucky attitude, gives Lorén an understanding in dealing with the diverse individuals who visit Le Monde on a daily basis. It has been nice to have someone on board throughout our journey and rise to culinary fame, and her 4 Unit English skills are always a welcome alternative to spell check when it comes to writing up the Daily Specials Board.