Chef Lee Leflore honors his family heritage and Mississippi Delta roots in the kitchen of Giardina's, the historic restaurant in the Alluvian Hotel in Greenwood, Mississippi. His cuisine reflects the complex relationship between the rich culture of the Delta, its southerly neighbors New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico and the old world traditions of four generations of Italian immigrants who have put their culinary stamp on the region. Born and raised in the Delta, Lee's intuitive understanding of this unique combination of influences creates a cuisine that expresses the essence of its origins.

For Lee Leflore, Giardina's has been a family affair. The Giardina family immigrated to Greenwood from the town of Cefalu in their native Sicily in the early 1930's and opened their restaurant in 1936. Lee's great grandparents, the Barrancos, also originated from Cefalu. The Giardina and Barranco families were friends and neighbors, attending the local Catholic Church together. The Giardina family owned and operated the restaurant from 1936 until their retirement in 2003, when Lee's uncle, Fred Carl, bought the restaurant and moved it to The Alluvian, his recently restored boutique hotel in downtown Greenwood. Frank Leflore, also Lee's uncle, was the opening general manager of the newly relocated Giardina's and Lee's father, William Leflore, helped get the new kitchen into operation. Lee has been an integral part of the Giardina's team since he was 17. He has cooked on the line, served tables, tended bar and managed the front of the house, but his heart has always been in the kitchen.

Lee earned a degree in hospitality management from The University of Mississippi and attended the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley. After a stint as a line cook at Emeril's famous New Orleans flagship restaurant, Lee brought his talents and passion for cooking back to the Mississippi Delta, the place he loves and calls home.

As Executive Chef  of Giardina’s of Giardina's, Lee honors the historic restaurant's Italian heritage while offering up his own special interpretation of Delta cuisine. Showcasing the bounty of the nearby Gulf of Mexico, the unique food culture of New Orleans, and the flavors of his own Sicilian heritage, Lee's cuisine offers an eclectic style that embodies the essence of the Mississippi Delta, one of the most unique places on earth. Under Chef Lee Leflore's stewardship Giardina's thrives, paying homage to its culinary past while offering its patrons a cuisine that is fresh, imaginative and ever changing.