Our Staff

Lee Skawinski, Executive Chef/Co-Owner

Lee Skawinski is far from the prototypical chef; the New England native holds fast to the belief that memorable dining is less about the chef in the kitchen and much more about the fresh, seasonal ingredients - uniquely combined, and in ideal proportions - that diners enjoy on their plates.

Chef Skawinski travels regularly to Italy with members of his kitchen and front-of-house teams to meet with Italian artisanal cheese and cured meat producers, olive oil and balsamic vinegar producers, and internationally acclaimed winemakers. These Italian "finds" quickly make their way onto the innovative menus at each of his restaurants, and add to what rates as a truly authentic Italian dining experience.

Christopher Geer, Executive Sous Chef

Christopher Geer got his start in the culinary world at the Harraseeket Inn in Freeport, Maine. He earned a Bachelor’s degree from Johnson & Wales in Providence. After college, Geer went to Italy for about three months. He worked with Riccardo Cunico at Ristorante da Riccardo al Maddarello in a small Northeastern town of Asiago in the Veneto region.

 

Emily DeLois, Executive Pastry Chef

A Maine native, DeLois spent years in Spain and Italy after college, deepening her exposure to the flavors, textures, and ingredients that influence her cooking today. After returning from Italy, she spent time in several Maine restaurants and pastry shops, honing her skills in work with pastries and wedding cakes before coming to work with Chef Lee Skawinski at Vignola Cinque Terre.