Nico de Leon is a Filipino-American chef and restaurateur. He’s spent over the past decade working across a variety of kitchens in San Francisco and his home, Los Angeles. He was the past Chef de Cuisine of LASA, a Filipino-American casual fine dining restaurant started in 2013, which was at the forefront of the Filipino Food Movement in Los Angeles. While at the helm, he was listed as one of 2018’s Eater Young Guns.

He is chef and owner of the renowned Lasita, a beacon for modern Filipino-American fare and natural wine, that’s been featured in Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, NY Times, LA Times, Sunset Magazine, & was recently listed as one of Eater’s 38 Essential Restaurants. He is also the chef and owner of Tito Rudy’s, a modern Halo Halo concept he’s shared with his wife since 2020.

Nico’s motivated to express his culture from his point of view as a native Angeleno and Californian. He has a strong focus in community building and in mentoring – he stresses the importance that his cooks discover their styles and points of view, and finds success in their growth.