Culinary Connoisseur Nate Leonard to Lead the Coastal Resort’s Five New Dining Outlets
Ocean City, MD (April 2, 2024) – Ashore Resort & Beach Club, the newly renovated coastal haven nestled along Ocean City’s pristine shores, announces the appointment of Nathaniel (Nate) Leonard as executive chef. With an impressive culinary background and a passion for creating memorable dining experiences, Chef Leonard is poised to further elevate the resort as an enticing travel and dining destination along the Maryland coast. Chef Leonard will lead all culinary-related operations, including banquets, events, weddings and the resort’s five new coastal-inspired restaurant concepts:
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Upscale Tide Room offering Ocean City’s best ocean views with indoor and outdoor dining
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Relaxing and vibey Wahoo Beach Bar with live bands, beach menu and cocktails served in signature Ashore Coconuts
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The Tap Room offering a late night menu and place to watch all the local teams
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Local culinary details and gourmet coffees from Ashore Things
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Indoor-Outdoor Beach Club, The Shore Deck, offering a place to work and relax from morning to late night
Hailing from Germany, Chef Leonard was raised in the mountains of central Pennsylvania and discovered his love for cooking at the age of 14 working as a dishwasher at a local restaurant. He was captivated by the smells and ambiance on the job and asked the restaurant’s chef to teach him to cook – he was a quick study and fell in love with the art of cooking immediately. Over the next decade, Chef Leonard proudly joined the U.S. Army, studied in Leon, France, graduated from Penn State University, and cooked his way up from a line cook to sous chef at Striped Bass in Philadelphia. He then had stints in kitchens in New York City and back Pennsylvania before eventually opening his own restaurant in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, 208 Social. Chef Leonard went on to become the executive chef of Schell Bros in Rehoboth Beach while penning a cookbook titled, ‘In Season, A Coastal Cookbook.’ Before joining Ashore Resort & Beach Club, Chef Leonard served as the executive chef of the Delaware-based restaurant group, Sodel Concepts.
“We are beyond excited to welcome Chef Leonard to our Ashore Resort team,” said Kane Kennedy, Ashore Resort & Beach Club’s General Manager. “The culinary excellence that he brings to the table, combined with his thoughtful approach to cooking, will truly position Ashore Resort to be a stand out culinary destination in Ocean City and along the Maryland coast.”
A philosophy engrained in bringing joy to people through food for all palates, Chef Leonard brings with him an ambition that will heat up Ocean City. He will take the menus at Ashore’s delightful venues to a new elevated level, while staying true to each restaurant’s coastal inspiration and fresh seasonal ingredients.
For more information about Ashore Resort & Beach Club, please visit ashoreresortoceancity.com or call (410) 524.3535.
