Our Team
Emily Weisberg - Owner
Emily grew up in a small town in Wisconsin where she started writing recipes and drinking coffee at the ripe old age of 7. She got her start working in restaurants when she was 14 and has hardly stopped since.
She learned Spanish, got interested in coffee growing in Latin America, went to college, shopped at the farmer's market a lot, ate at some amazing restaurants, lived and worked in Peru for a while, and eventually got married in Jerusalem, Israel where she and her husband, Alex, lived for three years.
They came back to the U.S. with a toddler and an even stronger desire to build a diverse community around food. Enter: Moss Café. Emily, Alex, and their three little ones live in Riverdale and can probably be found at the café.
Brian Engel - Head Chef
Brian was born and raised in Ohio and arrived in NYC in the early eighties to pursue his dream of cooking professionally. He worked for many years in restaurants, hotels, corporate foodservice and catering.
Then the wine bug bit him and Brian transitioned to retail wine sales, working in a couple of prominent upper Manhattan wine shops. But the kitchen kept calling his name. He’s excited, energized and challenged to return to his first love of food as part of the Moss Café team.
Alejandro Benarducci - Pastry Chef
Alex was born and raised by his Italian family in Uruguay. He left his family business to pursue his love of baking. He’s been at Moss for 3 years and has brought so much talent to the kitchen. In his spare time, he loves boating, fishing, and exploring great bakeries in the tri-state area with his wife and
two sons.
Surge Salas - General Manager
Sagrario Salas is a native New Yorker and has been working her way around a kitchen since the age of 8, when she helped her mom create traditional Dominican dishes.
She discovered her passion for cooking at an early age and is self-taught. She has traveled to Italy, Nantucket, and all over New York to learn alongside masters of their craft. Her favorite dish is the Tofu Bahn Mi.
Camille Sung - Assistant General Manager
Camille was born and raised in Riverdale and has lived here ever since. Until October of 2022, she was a frequent customer of Moss during high school but never strayed from her favorite cold brew with oat milk. When she saw the opportunity to work at a pillar of the Riverdale community that focused so heavily on sustainability and quality, she was dedicated to being a part of the amazing team at Moss Cafe. Since then, she has not only expanded her coffee knowledge but has even discovered a new favorite drink order. When not at Moss, you can find Camille grabbing sushi with friends or cafe hopping in Brooklyn!
Lea Creaven - Communications manager
Lea was born and raised in Yonkers, NY and has been a long time coffee and tea lover. When she first visited Moss, she not only fell in love with the espresso, but also Moss’ commitment to serving delicious food to the Riverdale community without jeopardizing quality and nutrition.
She is excited to work with the Moss team and share the power of sustainable food with the community. When not at Moss, you can find Lea at the beach with her dog or trying new restaurants with friends.