Chef Lionel Uddipa
2017 Salt

Born and raised in Juneau, Chef Lionel Uddipa is the third generation of chefs in his family. His first restaurant job was as a dishwasher in his family's diner, where he made the kitchen his "playground" and decided to further his career in culinary school. He was classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Atlanta, Georgia. After his studies, he moved back to the west coast to study with a host of top-tier restaurants. He then traveled to Southeast Asia to learn the culture and cuisine of his roots.
Lionel's culinary experience includes work at Studio at Montage in Laguna Beach, Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Luxury Spa, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, a short time at Next, and Chicago's Tru. He staged in several Michelin-starred restaurants, while-working full time elsewhere, to broaden his range of skills.
Chef Lionel brings creativity and enthusiasm to his kitchen at SALT. He and his team are always striving to bring fresh, delicious, and unique creations to the table.
Chef Lionel recently represented Alaska seafood in New York during an Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) media event March 22-23. Whiel in New York Chef Lionel held a Facebook Live cooking demo at the Food & Wine Test Kitchen. He prepared Alaska Cod Parmesan with Zucchini Noodles before a live online audience. The video has over 32,000 views to date.