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Brian Spagnola
 

Growing up in a small town in New Jersey, Brian Spagnola has always had a love of the culinary arts.  The love stems from his Italian family where at any given time or home there was something cooking in the kitchen.  More times than not, Brian's hands were digging in the pot. 

At the age of fourteen, Brian stumbled upon his first job in a small restaurant.  Not knowing that this would propel him into his career, he reluctantly took a job as an all-purpose worker.  Soon after starting work, Brian was thrown into the kitchen , of course, on Mothers' Day.  From that point on, Brian decided that this was the career path that suited him best.  

Brian was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park , New York upon graduating from high school.  During his third semester, he completed his externship at the AAA Five Diamond award-winning Hilton at Short Hills.  Upon graduation, Brian was hired full-time there as the staff dining room chef.  Brian quickly elevated through the culinary ranks at the Hilton, taking on the jobs of Garde Manager for the Terrace Restaurant, assistant restaurant chef, and assistant banquet chef.  From there, Brian rounded out his term with the Hilton Corporation by  moving to the Brunswick Hilton to become the restaurant chef. 

After spending five years with the Hilton Corporation, Brian's presence was requested as the banquet chef at Grove Isle Club and Resort in Coconut Grove, Florida.  Within one year of moving to Miami, Grove Isle underwent major renovations to open the restaurant Baleen,  It was here that Brian became the Executive Sous Chef and ran into Robbin Haas and Jeffery Nimer.  Brian's accumulated food knowledge and diversity of ingredient usage can largely be attributed to Robbin and Jeffery.  Miami produced a whole new world of cuisine for Brian and awakened in him the desire to travel and learn more of the types and trends of cuisine around the country.  In addition to growing in leaps and bounds culinarily, Brain also learned to become a businessman and translate his culinary talent into profit. 

After leaving Baleen, Brian became the Executive Chef at the AAA Four Diamond Award-winning Dining Room at Osprey Point at Kiawah Island Resort, South Carolina.  It was here that Brian was given the chance to truly express himself through his food and took the restaurant to new levels of cuisine while continuing to maintain Four Diamond status.  Coming full-circle, Brian then returned to New Jersey 's Grand Summit Hotel as Chef de Cuisine for the Hunt Club Grill.  From there, he moved to the Glen Gardner Inn, and then on to Ocino Sala Italiana, where he earned a three and one-half stars review by The Star Ledger. 

As Executive Chef of Fox and Hound Tavern at The Lebanon Hotel, Brian will surely contribute exciting flavorful flair and style to the restaurant's  Eclectic American Cuisine. 

69 Main Street     Lebanon, NJ 08833
Phone (908) 437-1300    Fax (908) 437-1303