Leo E. Patalinghug

Born in the Philippines and raised in the Baltimore area, Fr. Leo actually developed his love for cooking while attending the seminary at the North American College in Rome. There, he became friendly with several Italian restaurant owners and would often invite them back to the student kitchen to trade cooking secrets. They would teach him about rigatoni and lasagna; he would show them how to make hamburgers and ribs. Today, he is a skilled cook who still enjoys learning how to make new dishes, and loves the process of preparing a meal, as much as he does sharing it with a table full of friends.

Fr. Leo is the host and founder of Grace Before Meals, an apostolate to strengthen families and communities around the dinner table. He is a priest ordained for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, serving as a sacramental and pastoral minister on a part-time basis.

His unique background as a former martial arts championship title holder and choreographer for an award winning break-dancing group has provided him unique experiences and insights that has caught the attention and acclamation of diverse audiences, including PBS, ABC, CBS and even the Food Network, in which Fr. Leo defeated a world famous chef in the surprise cooking competition show, "Throw Down! with Bobby Flay."