Chef
Antonia Lofaso
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- Los Angeles, California, United States
i. Biography
Born on November 23, 1976, in New York, USA, Antonia Lofaso came into American cooking with an instinct for movement: between coasts, between rooms, between the polished discipline of a professional kitchen and the looser energy of the worlds around it. She has described her curiosity as something that grew when she stepped outside the suburbs of Long Island and into the culturally diverse landscape of Los Angeles, a shift that seems to echo through the arc of her career. In her work, there is the feeling of someone always taking stock of a room, reading the temperature of a dining room or a television set, then moving with purpose toward the next plate, the next challenge, the next opening.
Coming Up
Early in their career, Antonia worked as manager at Justin in New York City, an early post that placed her inside the daily choreography of hospitality and service. From there, she moved into the kitchen side of the profession in Los Angeles, California, as chef at Spago in Los Angeles, California, and later as chef at Foxtail in Los Angeles, California, building a résumé that bridged experience, pressure, and the particular rhythm of high-profile dining. Those years helped establish the practical foundation behind the public-facing chef she would become: disciplined, adaptable, and comfortable being tested in front of an audience. That audience grew substantially when she entered television as contestant at Top Chef: Chicago (season 4) (2008), a moment that brought her into one of the most closely watched culinary arenas of the era. She returned as contestant at Top Chef: All-Stars (season 8) (2010–2011), then again as contestant at Top Chef Duels (2014), each appearance reinforcing her visibility as a chef who could perform under scrutiny without losing the identity that made her cooking distinct. Alongside those competition appearances, she took on other television roles: professional chef at Beat the Chefs (2012), judge at Cutthroat Kitchen (2013–2017), restaurant culinary consultant at Restaurant Startup (2015–2016), featured chef at Restaurant Hustle 2020: All On The Line (2020), featured chef at Restaurant Hustle 2021: Back In Business (2021), lead judge at Guy’s Chance of a Lifetime (2022), head judge at The Julia Child Challenge (2022), host at Beachside Brawl (2022–2023), co-host at Guy's Ultimate Game Night (2022), and co-host at Worst Cooks in America (season 28) (2025). Today, Antonia is judge of Guy's Grocery Games (since 2013), competitor of Tournament of Champions, co-owner and Executive Chef of Black Market Liquor Bar (since 2011), co-owner and Executive Chef of Scopa Italian Roots (since 2013), and co-owner and Executive Chef of DAMA (since 2018).
Where They Are Now
Since 2011, Lofaso has led Black Market Liquor Bar in Studio City, California, as Executive Chef and owner, anchoring her public profile in the day-to-day demands of a restaurant that requires both consistency and imagination. Her Los Angeles restaurant work also includes Scopa Italian Roots in Venice, California, where she has served as Executive Chef and owner since 2013, and DAMA in Downtown Los Angeles, California, where she is Executive Chef and owner. Together, these places sketch a portrait of a chef whose life is built not just around a signature style, but around the repeated, exacting work of keeping a hospitality operation alive and expressive.
Signature
Antonia Lofaso is a chef known for Italian-American cooking. In that frame, her career reads as a steady accumulation of experience across kitchens and cameras, with each stop reinforcing the same core impression: a chef shaped by movement, sharpened by competition, and grounded by the ongoing reality of restaurant life.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Antonia
What is Antonia Lofaso's current role?
As of 2026, Antonia Lofaso is Executive Chef and Owner.
Where did Antonia Lofaso work before?
Antonia Lofaso's earlier career included Justin, Spago, and Foxtail.
Where did Antonia Lofaso train?
Antonia Lofaso trained at French Culinary Institute.
