Chef Leonard Bailey II, the head of the culinary arts program at Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was inducted into the American Academy of Chefs in July 2024 – a pinnacle of any chef’s career in the United States.
Induction into the academy is a rigorous process; current members vet applicants who must pass two sets of mandatory and secondary requirements for consideration. Those selected are awarded medals for their lifelong passion, commitment and expertise in the culinary industry. Bailey knows this honor comes with more work as a mentor.
“Just because you got a medal doesn't mean your job is done,” Bailey said. “That's actually when it begins, and I'm happy for that because I like serving others.”
He has had a long and illustrious career in the kitchen, beginning as a child in his uncle’s Rhode Island bakery in the late 1970s and continuing through a transition to culinary education. He has taught the next generation of the country’s top chefs, including at SIPI. The National American Culinary Federation named him the 2018 Chef Educator of the Year.
“My career started as a profession that I thought would benefit me,” Bailey said. “My career now is not about me; it's about the students that I'm producing. Food is no longer my product; they are, and I'm not successful until they're successful.”
Chef Bailey began teaching at SIPI in June of 2012 and oversaw the culinary program’s restructuring, including redesigning its kitchen and curriculum. The program has since grown, attracting students by offering hands-on experience that gives them the skills and confidence to thrive in any kitchen setting.
“Just because the SIPI program is small doesn't mean it isn't one of the best programs in the country,” Bailey said.
In December 2023, Bailey and his students traveled from New Mexico to Washington, DC, to help prepare food at the White House Tribal Nations Summit. The students cooked for more than 500 Tribal leaders and heads of federal government departments, including Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Bryan Newland.
“We're a high-quality program. We're doing amazing things,” Bailey said.
In July, he accepted his American Academy of Chefs membership at the ACF National Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. Bailey looks forward to mentoring as a new member of the organization and continuing to teach his students at SIPI.
“I love working with the students. I've learned an awful lot from them,” Bailey said. “My goal is whoever I'm training will be better than I ever was.”
Learn more about Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute’s culinary program at sipi.edu.
