Eli Leisring

Elias Leisring was born in 1977 to Michael and Hazel Leisring. Leisring attended Goshen High School and graduated in 1995. Elias family moved to Goshen after he had finished the eighth grade. Elia was very active while at Goshen High school. Elias was co-editor of the school newspaper, a War of the Wits team member, and a teen counselor. Elias also played on the baseball team and directed and starred in the drama club. Elias was chosen as a class favorite in the most opinionated category. After high school, Elias entered the world of business. Today, Elias Leisring is a local restaurant owner who has leveraged relationship building, entrepreneurial skills, risk assessment, team building, and creative culinary skills to achieve success across multiple business brands.

Elias Leisring founded Eli’s BBQ as a street vendor on Cincinnati’s Fountain Square. With a mobile food license and a desire to create the best BBQ on earth, Eli’s has grown into a Midwest legend with annual sales topping $5 million dollars, over 100 employees, and several integrated distribution channels Fountain Square, Washington Park, The Kroger Co. and a variety of pop-up events, and celebrations such as The Taste of Cincinnati and Bunbury Music Festival, to name a few.

Motivated to help others achieve business success, Leisring has partnered with many small business owners. These businesses include Fireside Pizza Walnut Hills, Saundra’s Kitchen, The Hi-Mark, Herzog Music, and The Queen City Whip. Community advocate for the West End, Findlay Market, and the greater Cincinnati area has led to community involvement with Seven Hills Neighborhood House, Boys Hope Girls Hope, O.T.R. Community Housing, Our Daily Bread, The Starfire Council of Cincinnati, The Bowtie Foundation, Marvin Lewis Community Fund, The Cincinnati Reds Community Fund and many more. Additionally, a position with the Cincinnati Mayor’s Immigration Task Force has encouraged his position of advocacy for Cincinnati’s immigrants.

Leisring has two young boys and enjoys playing music, cooking, camping, rock climbing, and traveling. Booking music for local and traveling bands has been a passion, and unintended benefit of his many food and beverage activities. Expanding music and entertainment bookings to amazing local venues such as Washington Park, Findlay Market, and Memorial Hall have been a wonderful extension of community building. Communication, culinary, music, team building, people management, community organization, and engagement, business mentoring and incubating, charitable support and cooperation define him.