Master Chef Leo is from St.
Gallen, Switzerland.
This is where he started his career at the Hotel Hecht as an apprentice chef.
Then he did a stint in the Swiss Army where he learnt "a completely different
way of cooking." After the army he went to hotel school and learnt kitchen
administration and food control.
Leo first came to Australia when he was working for the Swiss Atlantic Shipping
Line back in 1978. He was so impressed by what he saw he camp hark and settled
for good, some 22 years ago. He commenced work at the Cambridge Inn then moved
to Brandys Restaurant at Hurstville in Sydney where he stayed for three years as
head chef. From there he moved to Sydney Tower Restaurants where he was employed
for 9.5 years - the first 8 months in the capacity of sous chef and was then
promoted to executive chef.
Leo ventured into a partnership ( the Ritz Hotel in Hurstville) where he operated an outdoor cafe, a-la carte and fine dining restaurants, He bought Stapletons Restaurant 8 years ago and created a comfortable homely atmosphere. The menu incorporates some of Leo's Swiss style home cooking dishes and of course the steaks are still the best in the Shire. Leo is a train enthusiast, and likes to collect plates which adorn the architraves in the dining room - last count there were 150.