Nico Leslie

A native-born Jamaican, Nico first discovered his love of cooking as a young child, learning from his mother in their home kitchen. Years later, he decided to pursue his passion professionally, taking a job at the Royal Decameron Montego Beach resort in Montego Bay. Eager to continue learning and progressing in his career, Nico came to the United States in 2014, taking a job with the Rappahannock Oyster Company where he worked his way through the restaurant and into the kitchen. Following his time with the Rappahannock Oyster Company, Nico joined the Neighborhood Restaurant Group in 2015, where he first met, and worked for, Bammy’s Executive Chef, Chris Morgan. The two quickly became friends, bonding over their shared love for Jamaican food and culture and half joked about opening a Caribbean restaurant together one day. Now that their dream has become a reality, Nico is thrilled to showcase the unique flavors and ingredients of the Jamaican food he grew up cooking. He hopes the food brings as much joy to each of you as it does to him.