Richard Vellante is the driving force behind Legal Sea Foods'  hospitality mission. Driving operations from the kitchen to menus to the host stand, and overseeing culinary staff in 30+ restaurants, Vellante collaborates directly with company President Roger Berkowitz. A highlight of Vellante’s tenure is the development of LTK (Legal Test Kitchen). This hip venture is a high-tech alternative to the traditional Legal Sea Foods experience.  A graduate of Hamilton College, Vellante studied at the French Culinary Institute in New York City and served as Chef at Waltham’s acclaimed Allegro. He studied an additional two years in Italy, cooking his way through several provinces using traditional, farm-fresh ingredients and seafood. “The passion and simplicity of food in the Italian culture greatly influenced my approach to cooking and culinary techniques.”