LEONARD 'LEO' HOLTON SOMMELIER, OWNER, CHEF | MAGNOLIA'S ON KING
Even in an area rich in history, we often forget that there are living descendants of that history living here in Alexandria. Sommelier Leonard Holton, owner and Chef at Magnolia’s on King St., is the 4th generation great grandson of Solomon Northup, who many know from the memoir and movie 12 Years a Slave. Chef Leo is both very aware and proud of this legacy and it shows in how he lives his life today. “I own a restaurant in the area where my great grandfather was kidnapped and taken as a slave. It’s kind of amazing.” At the time, Northup could have only dreamed of a day when this could be possible. Even for Chef Leo, the path into restaurant ownership was not one he had expected. He had originally gone to school for biology with aspirations to work as a marine biologist. He had also considered training for the US Olympic swim team, a dream he sometimes wondered if he should have chased. But Chef Leo found his way into being a chef-owner while working as a consultant in the restaurant industry. The opportunity to partner with the owner of Magnolia’s came as a surprise but one Chef Leo was more than happy to be a part of. Now living his best
LIFESTYLE CHOICE: VEGAN
MICHAEL ARISTO LEONARD II PRESIDENT, CO-FOUNDING PARTNER | LEONARDPATEL
Growing up in the Rust Belt in Cleveland, Michael Leonard cheered for the Browns and drove large tractors for the park system. A far cry from those days, Michael is now a President and Co-Founder of a Patent Law Firm, representing aerospace, software, nuclear, and consumer products spaces. Recently, a large portion of their work has focused on artificial intelligence (AI) applications for technologies that observe, learn from, and mimic human behavior to interact with computers in a similar manner to humans. Michael’s journey into patent law began after attending The University of Virginia. He was working as a software engineering consultant in Cleveland when he noticed the mismanagement of the consulting firm he worked for. He realized that he was not where he was meant to be. To not call his time in school and on this path a complete waste, he returned to school, this time focusing on patent law. After graduating, he relocated to DC and worked for small and large firmsbefore breaking out with his now partner to begin their current firm. His love of his hometown and the Browns still rings through even after years of disappointment from his team but is adopting a love for the Nationals as Alexandria has become his home. He and his wife, Mary, love supporting the local craft beer and wine scene while experimenting in the kitchen, most recently with Indian and Thai food.
FAVORITE FORMULA 1 RACING DRIVER: LEWIS HAMILTON FOR MERCEDES WHO WEARS THE SAME HAT THAT MICHAEL IS PHOTOGRAPHED IN (ABOVE) IS WHEN NOT IN HIS RACING HELMET. AUGUST 2020 • 19
