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Vignola's Head Chef Lee Skawinski Lee Skawinski, a native New Englander, has earned an increasingly  influential slot on the national culinary map. The talented chef continues to earn raves for his Ligurian-inspired cuisine from the likes of The Washington Post, Wine & Spirits, Gourmet, StarChefs.com, Food Network and USA Today. Additionally, Cinque Terre, with Skawinski at the helm, was recently named by Epicurious to its list of "Top 10 Farm-to-Table Restaurants in the U.S."Skawinski brings over two decades of formal culinary training and experience to his post as Executive Chef of Portland, Maine's Vignola and Cinque Terre restaurants. After graduating from Newbury College's Culinary School, Chef Skawinski travelled throughout Europe to learn firsthand about seasonal cooking and top-tier wines. He went on to make a name for himself by cooking at Boston's Four Seasons Hotel before moving on to chef at Freeport's Harraseeket Inn. Chef Skawinski has also owned his own dining establishment, the Habaneros Tequilaria and Barbeque in Kennebunk. Known for his commitment to presenting authentic, seasonal Italian ingredients and fine Italian wines, Chef Skawinski travels annually to Italy with Vignola and Cinque Terre staff to meet with Italian artisanal cheese and cured meat producers, as well as with internationally acclaimed winemakers. These Italian "finds" make their way onto the innovative menus at each acclaimed restaurant, and add to what patrons - and food press - rate as a truly authentic Italian dining experience. Chef Skawinski is a member of the James Beard Foundation and the Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association (MOFGA). He also is active in the Slow Food Movement, and in Gruppo Ristoranti Italiani, a highly regarded national group of influential restaurateurs dedicated to elevating the perception of Italian food and wine throughout the hospitality industry. |
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