Leo Spralja

Early Years

The starting point is family. Leo Spralja is the son of Joso and Angiolina Spralja, who founded Joso’s restaurant in Toronto, giving his culinary life a clear origin in the same room where his name is now part of the restaurant’s daily identity. That lineage shapes the cuisine. The restaurant is associated with Croatian Dalmatian seafood, a tradition expressed not through excess but through close attention to fish and the ways it can be served raw or handled simply.

Making a Name

Before the executive-chef title, Spralja’s work also carried the responsibilities of a restaurateur at the Toronto restaurant. That role places him not only in relation to the kitchen, but also to the wider operation of a family-founded dining room. His reputation is tied to seafood. The recurring through-line is raw preparation and simply handled fish, a style that asks for restraint and confidence rather than complication. The restaurant’s Croatian Dalmatian seafood identity gives that focus its frame. Instead of separating family history from the menu, Spralja’s work keeps the two in contact: origin, ownership, and cooking all meet at the same address.

The Present

Spralja serves as executive chef of Joso’s in Toronto. In that role, his primary craft remains seafood, especially raw preparation and simply handled fish. The restaurant’s name carries both a family history and a culinary direction. Founded by Joso and Angiolina Spralja, it continues under Leo Spralja’s leadership as a place associated with Croatian Dalmatian seafood cuisine. His career arc is not a tour through many kitchens; it is a deepening within one. Restaurateur, executive chef, and son of the founders are not separate labels so much as different angles on the same work: keeping a Toronto restaurant’s seafood language precise, direct, and rooted in its Dalmatian identity.

Signature

Leo's signature dishes include Risotto Nero.

FAQ What is Leo Spralja's current role? As of 2026, Leo Spralja is Executive Chef. What is Leo Spralja known for? Seafood, especially raw preparation and simply handled fish.