Team Profiles
Our Owner and Executive Chef bring a wealth of industry and culinary experience to our restaurant.
Antonis Karagounis
Owner
Antonis Karagounis is a seasoned entrepreneur and a cornerstone of Washington, D.C.'s vibrant nightlife and hospitality scene, with over 30 years of industry experience dating back to 1995. Throughout his prolific career, Antonis has played a pivotal role in establishing and shaping some of the city's most iconic venues, including Lima Restaurant & Lounge, Ultrabar, Echostage, Soundcheck, Taqueria Local, Barcode Restaurant, Bar and Lounge, and Josephine. He also is the owner/partner of Decades and Rewind diner, Zebbie’s Garden, Mayflower Club, and Latin-American focused Selva.
He has a deep-rooted history with the building that now houses the Mayflower Club, having served as its promoter in the early 2000s when it was known as MCCXXIII (1223). His longstanding ties to this venue underscore his influence and commitment to D.C.'s entertainment landscape.Antonis is also the founder of Panorama Productions, Washington D.C.’s most successful promotions company. Panorama is renowned for making Electronic Dance Music (EDM) mainstream in the nation's capital through their flagship brand GLOW. Since 1999, GLOW has been bringing some of the world's biggest DJs to D.C., VA, and MD.
With a reputation for innovation and excellence, Antonis has significantly contributed to establishing D.C. as a key player in the national nightlife scene. His endeavors continue to influence the cultural fabric of the city, combining premier entertainment offerings with a passion for community and community engagement, and serves on the DC Nightlife Council Board.
He has a deep-rooted history with the building that now houses the Mayflower Club, having served as its promoter in the early 2000s when it was known as MCCXXIII (1223). His longstanding ties to this venue underscore his influence and commitment to D.C.'s entertainment landscape.Antonis is also the founder of Panorama Productions, Washington D.C.’s most successful promotions company. Panorama is renowned for making Electronic Dance Music (EDM) mainstream in the nation's capital through their flagship brand GLOW. Since 1999, GLOW has been bringing some of the world's biggest DJs to D.C., VA, and MD.
With a reputation for innovation and excellence, Antonis has significantly contributed to establishing D.C. as a key player in the national nightlife scene. His endeavors continue to influence the cultural fabric of the city, combining premier entertainment offerings with a passion for community and community engagement, and serves on the DC Nightlife Council Board.
Giovanni Orellana
Executive Chef
Born and raised in El Salvador, Chef Giovanni Orellana came to Washington, DC at just 19 years old, seeking opportunity and a fresh start. After studying English at Carlos Rosario School, he discovered his passion for the culinary arts while working at a South American restaurant in Silver Spring called Ceviche. It was there—and later at DC’s iconic Lima Restaurant on K Street—that Gio realized the kitchen was his calling.
A self-taught chef shaped by experience and instinct, Chef Orellana built his culinary foundation in some of the most recognized kitchens in the DC area. His resume includes the original Pesce seafood restaurant under Regine Palladin, Posto with Matteo Venini (of Stellina Pizzeria), and Barcode, as well as launching Greenhouse Bistro and Bulldog Pizza. Today, he brings his signature Latin dishes and ingredients to Selva. He is also the Culinary Director for Rewind and Mayflower in Dupont Circle.
Chef Gio’s approach to food is deeply personal. Raised by his grandparents on a self-sustaining farm in El Salvador, he learned to cook by watching his grandmother transform humble ingredients into nourishing, memorable meals. From foraging wild herbs to raising livestock, his early experiences on the farm instilled both a powerful work ethic and a lasting connection to food. His menus are a tribute to that upbringing and the cultures that have shaped him—blending flavors from across Latin America with the techniques learned from his mentors. At Selva, the menu showcases dishes like Yuca Brava and Grilled Sardines—one a nostalgic street food from El Salvador, the other a nod to his time at Pesce.
Cooking is storytelling- whether he’s preparing a soulful black bean soup or a bold ceviche, his food is about connection—to his past, to his guests, and to the mentors who helped him along the way. His culinary ethos is simple but powerful: “love the food you make, and your guests will feel it.”
When he’s not in the kitchen, Chef Gio is traveling—often in search of new ideation for dishes and cultural inspiration. At home, you’ll find him cooking traditional Salvadoran seafood like Cóctel de Curiles (clam and shrimp ceviche), or enjoying guilty pleasures like pupusas, Chinese carryout, and canned sardines.
His favorite ingredient? Rice and corn—humble, essential, and endlessly versatile.
A self-taught chef shaped by experience and instinct, Chef Orellana built his culinary foundation in some of the most recognized kitchens in the DC area. His resume includes the original Pesce seafood restaurant under Regine Palladin, Posto with Matteo Venini (of Stellina Pizzeria), and Barcode, as well as launching Greenhouse Bistro and Bulldog Pizza. Today, he brings his signature Latin dishes and ingredients to Selva. He is also the Culinary Director for Rewind and Mayflower in Dupont Circle.
Chef Gio’s approach to food is deeply personal. Raised by his grandparents on a self-sustaining farm in El Salvador, he learned to cook by watching his grandmother transform humble ingredients into nourishing, memorable meals. From foraging wild herbs to raising livestock, his early experiences on the farm instilled both a powerful work ethic and a lasting connection to food. His menus are a tribute to that upbringing and the cultures that have shaped him—blending flavors from across Latin America with the techniques learned from his mentors. At Selva, the menu showcases dishes like Yuca Brava and Grilled Sardines—one a nostalgic street food from El Salvador, the other a nod to his time at Pesce.
Cooking is storytelling- whether he’s preparing a soulful black bean soup or a bold ceviche, his food is about connection—to his past, to his guests, and to the mentors who helped him along the way. His culinary ethos is simple but powerful: “love the food you make, and your guests will feel it.”
When he’s not in the kitchen, Chef Gio is traveling—often in search of new ideation for dishes and cultural inspiration. At home, you’ll find him cooking traditional Salvadoran seafood like Cóctel de Curiles (clam and shrimp ceviche), or enjoying guilty pleasures like pupusas, Chinese carryout, and canned sardines.
His favorite ingredient? Rice and corn—humble, essential, and endlessly versatile.