Anguilla has received the sad news about the passing of Mr. Leandro Rizzuto, owner of the largest tourism property on the island – CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa and The Reef by CuisinArt.
His passing was officially announced on Monday, December 4, by Mr. Stephane Zaharia, First Vice President and General Manager of the property. The announcement read as follows:
“It is with a very heavy heart and with great sorrow that CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa and The Reef by CuisinArt announce the passing of Mr. Leandro Rizzuto after a lengthy illness, surrounded by his family with much love and peace.
“Mr. Rizzuto’s passion and dedication for all matters close to his heart are second to none. After building a successful corporation he and his parents founded in 1959 into an international conglomerate, he discovered Anguilla while on vacation in the Caribbean and visited the island for a day. In that short space of time he fell in love with the destination and immediately wanted to purchase land to build a private home. He bought the land of thirty-five acres, and due to the government regulations at the time, it was suggested to consider the creation of a five-star resort instead, The rest, as we say, is history. Just as he had put all his efforts into creating Conair, he went into the creation of the Resort with the same passion and dedication. His involvement in all details is legendary, from choosing each piece of art to the selection of unique tiles throughout the property. As food was always a true priority for Mr. Rizzuto, he wanted the resort to have a strong culinary focus. He recognized that growing produce would be a challenge so in conjunction with the creators of Epcot, he commissioned a Hydroponic Farm to be built on property, the first farm ever built at a resort. As water is scarce, he had the foresight to create a reverse osmosis system to desalinate sea water and in more recent years, a solar farm was created to power the reverse osmosis system reducing our carbon footprint. With the Farm and our ability to create potable water, he ensured freshness of all items to be grown without a reliance on imported produce that would lose its flavor in transit. In fact, a direct quote from Mr. Rizzuto stated “a tomato should taste like a tomato” and to this day, our guests are welcomed with a bowl of hydroponic tomatoes as a welcome amenity. Because of his desire to create a Resort known for its food, he decided on the name CuisinArt as he already owned the Cuisinart name for his kitchen appliance division but with a spin..in this case to mean “cuisine as art”.
“Mr. Rizzuto always looked to the future when it came to Anguilla and since opening in 1999, we’ve seen the expansion of the Venus Spa and addition of 6 villas in 2009, to the purchase in 2011 of the Golf Course and real estate that were all part of the Temenos project, to increasing dining venues and finally the creation of the newest property, The Reef by CuisinArt, that debuted in November 2016. The Reef was recently named the top resort in Anguilla, number two in the Caribbean, by Conde Nast Readers Choice Awards, an extraordinary accolade.
“It should never be forgotten that at the heart of everything Mr. Rizzuto has accomplished in Anguilla is his love for and devotion to the people, his Anguilla family. The last several months have been incredibly challenging all around and although Mr. Rizzuto’s health was failing, he spent the entire night of Hurricane Irma on the phone for constant updating. Many tears were shed but his strength in a time of true crisis was outstanding. By the next day, he made a commitment that whatever it would take, the resorts would rebuild and emerge stronger than ever. He did not want any member of staff to be without a job or a future- this was a top priority for him – and he immediately commissioned a company to come in and do a full assessment and with their findings, a plan was put in place to restore us to the highest of standards. This turned out to be one of his final acts, a gift to his beloved CuisinArt family and to Anguilla.
“As his family stated, Mr. Rizzuto was:
? A man who truly loved life and people.
? A man who moved mountains and had a heart bigger than Mount Everest.
? A man who taught all of us to be greater than we thought we could be.
? A man who will be very much missed yet whose memories will live on within us forever.
“On behalf of the entire CuisinArt family, the loss of Mr. Rizzuto is overwhelming, as we’ve all worked with him for so many years. The best way we can honor him is to succeed and with everything we do moving forward, we know his spirit is with us and will live on forever in Anguilla.”
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Anguilla’s Governor, Mr. Tim Foy, OBE, writing on his official Facebook Page, stated:
“I have recently learned that Mr. Leandro Rizzuto has passed away.
“A true entrepreneur, Mr. Rizzuto has been a key layer in Anguilla’s tourism industry for decades as the owner of the CuisinArt Hotel and Resort, the CuisinArt Golf Cub and the Reef Hotel. His love for Anguilla was self-evident and his dedication to the development of the island unquestionable.
“My sincere condolences go out to his family and friends.”
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Chief Minister and Minister of Finance, Tourism and Economic Development, Mr. Victor Banks, issued the following statement:
“I was saddened by the news of the passing of the Mr. Leandro P. Rizzuto. Mr. Rizzuto was a major investor in our Tourism Industry since the early 1990’s when he established the Cuisinart Resort and Spa and later after the global recession hit our economy acquired what is now the Cuisinart Golf Course and the Reef Hotel. He was a highly successful entrepreneur and philanthropist, who came from humble beginnings but whose businesses spread across many continents and countries.
“Mr. Rizzuto endeared himself to the people of Anguilla through his generosity and his willingness to maintain his investments in Anguilla even during challenging situations.
“With the recent passing of Hurricane Irma which severely damaged his properties here — he had already committed to rebuilding and reopening his resorts to the tune of some US$40 million. In that process he also ensured that adequate provision was made for staff that would be affected.
“Mr. Rizzuto was appreciated by the entire Anguillian Community because of his obvious interest in our wellbeing. It was very clear that many of his investments were for the most part made out of his love for the island and its people.
“On behalf of the Government and People of Anguilla, as well as on my own behalf and that of my family, I extend sincere condolences to his entire family circle; loved ones; and close associates all across the globe whose lives he has touched in so many ways.
“Mr. Lee Rizzuto as he was affectionately known to so many of us here in Anguilla will be sorely missed and his contribution to Anguilla’s development will be remembered and appreciated for many years to come.
“Let us as a grateful community pray that his soul may rest with his maker in eternal peace.”
