At Trattoria A Mano
Our focus is to transport our guests through time and place by providing authentic Italian dishes and an atmosphere reminiscent of a cozy, rustic, local village hangout…
About
Michael Leonard
Head Chef
Although Michael grew up in Los Angeles, where he attended Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, he spent much of his youth in Santa Fe with his grandparents, who live here. He was influenced at a young age by his Sicilian grandmother, with whom he would shop for groceries, and return home to prep and cook. Michael began his professional culinary career in 2010 in Santa Monica at Rustic Canyon, moving from there to the cutting edge kitchen of Farmshop in Los Angeles and on to Bucato as Sous Chef. In 2015, Michael came to Santa Fe to accept the Sous position at The Compound, where he stayed for two years. When the opportunity arose to join the opening team at Trattoria A Mano, Michael's expertise at making fresh pasta, along with his Italian heritage and experience in fine restaurants made him the perfect candidate to run the kitchen. He oversees a team of eight, creates and executes the nightly specials, and ensures that each dish is prepared to his exacting standards.
Elise Eberwein
Maitre D'
Elise grew up in Washington, DC where she began waiting tables while attending the Maryland Institute of Art, specializing in photography. Attracted by the flora and fauna of the West, she moved to the San Juan Islands, working at the renowned Oyster Bar for nine years before moving to Santa Fe and joining the team at Bouche. As Assistant Maitre D', Elise garnered a loyal following; her natural charm and poise, coupled with her attention to detail and easy-going management style made her the obvious choice to run the front-of-house at Trattoria A Mano.