Chef, TV Personality, 

Cookbook Author & Mother

 

Chef Antonia Lofaso’s cuisine is an invitation to explore the depths of her interior world.  Her food elicits a curiosity that developed from stepping outside the suburbs of Long Island, and into the culturally diverse landscape of Los Angeles.

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Her belief that cavatelli and carnitas can co-exist seamlessly on the same menu conveys a sensibility, which is constantly evolving. But what remains in all of her dishes is a singular vision towards the future that longingly remembers the past.

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Inspired by her Italian-American heritage, Lofaso opened Scopa – Italian Roots in 2013, which was immediately well received. Lofaso’s interpretation of old-school Italian is hailed as one of the most compelling restaurants for Italian cooking in Los Angeles. Patrons describe Scopa as an essential neighborhood staple where Lofaso consistently serves food that is inviting, authentic, and undeniably satiating.

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Lofaso apprenticed under culinary legends and absorbed their sophisticated techniques, but she was not afraid to take extraordinary risks to honor her instincts. She rose quickly through the ranks at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago, and went on to transform various high-profile kitchens of Los Angeles, while working closely with many high-profile celebrities.

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In 2011, Lofaso partnered with Sal Aurora and Mario Guddemi to debut Black Market Liquor Bar in Studio City. In Black Market and the business partnerships she formed, Lofaso found a home. This collaboration would foster the creative freedom Lofaso longed for. Black Market is not constrained by one definitive direction and that is the intention. A course might begin with dill potato chips and shishito peppers, followed by a lobster roll, Korean wings, and a succession of meatballs. What anchors this bold array of flavors, is Antonia.

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Throughout her career, Lofaso has measured her success by her innate ability to understand her audience, while staying true to her own personality. Her memorable performance on Top Chef: Chicago and Top Chef: All Stars celebrated her individuality outside the kitchen, and her talents continue to shine in front of the camera as a judge on CNBC’s Restaurant Startup, and recurring roles on The Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen, Man vs. Child, and ABC’s Real O’neals.

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In 2012, Lofaso joined with Penguin to release The Busy Mom’s Cookbook: 100 Recipes for Quick, Delicious, Home-cooked Meals, which also tells the story of the challenges she overcame while studying at the elite French Culinary Institute, and simultaneously raising her daughter, Xea.

Lofaso insists that the drive behind all of her accomplishments comes from the heart of the kitchen, and it is through this vein that she continues to have a firm finger on the pulse. She is revolutionizing her industry’s aesthetic by redesigning chef wear for style and functionality, through her brand Chefletics.

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What matters to Lofaso is staying true to your vision with this intention she is launching Antonia Lofaso Catering, which will convey a more tailored approach to providing clients with a distinctly personal experience.