Leonardi served as captain of the 2012 ACF Culinary National Team USA that placed third overall at the 2010 Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg, and sixth overall at the 2012 Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung(IKA) or “culinary Olympics” in Erfurt, Germany. He was a member of the ACF Culinary Regional Team USA that placed first in the 2008 IKA. His experience includes department chair/assistant professor at Johnson & Wales University, Providence, Rhode Island, and research and development chef at Rich’s SeaPak, St. Simons Island, Georgia. Leonardi has won several medals in international competitions and, in 2009, he won ACF’s U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year.


Chef Joe Leonardi passed the Certified Master Chef Exam in 2017 – Congratulations Chef!