Interview: Antonia Lofaso Pulls Back the Curtain on 'Kitchen Undercover'

As an owner of several successful Los Angeles restaurants, Antonia Lofaso knows firsthand what it takes to build a thriving business — and what can cause a beloved neighborhood favorite to lose its way.

Now, along with Nestor Milian, an accomplished sous chef, Antonia's putting that experience to work on Food Network's new show, Kitchen Undercover, where the duo helps struggling restaurants get back on their feet. The twist? Antonia quietly watches every mistake and misstep unfold from behind the scenes in a truck parked down the road, while Nestor impersonates an employee at the restaurant, giving Lofaso all the information she needs before stepping in. But as she quickly discovers, the show's biggest transformations aren't just about fixing broken systems — they're about rebuilding confidence, restoring trust and helping people find their potential.

Ahead of the series premiere, Antonia sat down with Food Network to reflect on the experience and the people she’ll never forget.

In Conversation With Antonia Lofaso

Food Network: You joked that watching everything unfold from the command truck was like watching a telenovela. How difficult was it to resist going in before the undercover phase was over?

Antonia: As much as I wanted to jump up and stop what I was seeing, reacting to one moment wasn't going to solve the bigger problem. I needed to understand what was really happening and gather as much information as possible. When I walk into my own restaurants, everyone changes — my daughter jokes that I immediately go into "work mode," and everyone else does too. For this, I needed the exact opposite. I wanted people to behave naturally with the owner gone so I could understand the full picture and develop a game plan.

Food Network: You and Nestor are a great team. He’s quiet and observant, while you're much more expressive. How did you realize he was the right fit?

Antonia: I knew our undercover sous chef had to come from a top-level kitchen and understand food preparation, sanitation and systems at the highest level. It wasn't about the style of cuisine — it was about the standards they'd been trained under. Nestor has worked with celebrity chefs Curtis Stone and Josiah Citrin, so I knew exactly what kind of discipline those kitchens demand … He's someone who keeps his head down and works. He'll clean 40 pounds of calamari without complaining because that's what professional chefs do. For this to be believable, the staff had to see him as one of their own, and he fit into that environment perfectly. This was actually Nestor's first time on television. I think our dynamic worked because we balanced each other. I was out front talking people through the emotional side of what was happening, while he was in the kitchen focused on teaching, systems and execution. Together, we were able to address both the people and the process.

Food Network: How did you choose the restaurants?

Antonia: We wanted restaurants with strong foundations that had been successful and then lost their way. For example, one of the featured restaurants had been in business for 21 years — a true legacy restaurant. When a place has survived that long, especially in Los Angeles, you know there's something worth saving.

Food Network: How did you earn the trust of the restaurant owners, especially when they have to reveal some of the toughest moments in their business on national television?

Antonia: It starts with the conversation we have in the car at the beginning of each show. I tell every owner, "This isn't going to be easy. I'm not coming back to tell you everything is unicorns and rainbows because your numbers already tell you something is wrong." They're asking for honest feedback, and I tell them, "If at any point you're thinking, 'I don't want this,' now is the time to say, 'I'm out.'" Hearing the truth when something isn't working is uncomfortable, but people who are willing to accept that kind of criticism are the ones who make real progress. I always say it's like shoving everything under the bed and pretending your room is clean. These owners have been burying their heads in the sand, and my job is to pull back the curtain, rip off the Band-Aid and get to the core problem. Only then can you actually fix it.

Food Network: The staff was under the impression they were filming a documentary. Were you worried that would change their behavior?

Antonia: From my first experience doing reality television back in 2007, I learned it's surprisingly easy to forget the cameras are there. People may have been a little more cautious on day one, but by days two and three, they stopped thinking about the cameras. What really changed people's behavior wasn't the filming — it was when the owner left. As soon as "Mom and Dad" were gone, everyone's demeanor, work ethic and the way they spoke completely changed. That's when I saw what was really happening.

Food Network: In the premiere episode, most of the staff ignored your instructions and talked over you. Yet not long after, they were sitting quietly, hanging on your every word. What did that dramatic shift tell you about their need for leadership?

Antonia: Everyone is dying to be led. That's the truth. In the absence of leadership, there's nothing but chaos. When I first walked in, of course their reaction was, "Who is this woman?" But I never took it personally. I'm a mother, I'm a restaurant owner and I've learned that none of this is personal. Once I laid everything out, I asked them, "Is there anything I said that was unfair or unjust?" The room went quiet. They were carrying around so much resentment that once the conversation started, they couldn't wait to tell their stories. Every episode had that turning point. People came in defensive, but once they realized I wasn't there to attack them, they opened up. I wanted them to see that everyone deserves to work in a place where they're respected, supported and happy.

Food Network: In one restaurant, you identified a chef's fine-dining background just by the way he sliced an avocado. How much of your job is about recognizing untapped potential?

Antonia: That moment really stayed with me because the kitchen itself was a disaster, but I watched this chef make a shrimp cocktail and fan an avocado with a very specific Japanese knife technique. I immediately turned to Nestor and said, "Find out where this guy worked." It turned out he'd been a sous chef for [a prominent chef] so I knew he had incredible training. When I walked into the kitchen, I pulled him aside and said, "I know who you worked for." His attitude changed instantly because he realized I understood where he came from and the standards he'd been taught.

Food Network: Did anyone ever get so frustrated that they threw off their apron and walked out the door?

Antonia: Honestly, in six episodes, there were probably four where I thought, "This is going to be the day someone tells me to F off and never comes back." Instead, what surprised me was that the exact opposite happened. I had grown men sobbing on my shoulder. It never became, "We hate you." It became, "You’re my mother. Just hold me and tell me everything's going to be okay." That's when I knew we were getting through to people. My goal wasn't to create chaos; it was to show them what was really happening and create a plan that would actually fix the problems.

Food Network: How often is a restaurant's success determined not by the food but by everything else surrounding the dining experience?

Antonia: Great restaurateurs say it all the time: A restaurant isn't just about the food — it's about the totality of the experience. You can serve the best meal in the world, but if the hostess treats you poorly, if you have to wait forever for a table or if your server is terrible, you’re not coming back.

Food Network: Have you stayed in touch with any of the owners or staff?

Antonia: We have. The production company does formal follow-ups with every restaurant, so viewers will see updates on things like revenue and how they're doing. But what meant the most to me was what happened off camera. Even while we were still filming, Nestor was getting texts from line cooks, managers and even messages through our showrunner saying, "Please tell Antonia we're still doing this," or sending photos of their pre-shift meetings. I was absolutely exhausted by the end of filming — I joked that I slept for two weeks after talking nonstop — but hearing from everyone afterward made it worth it. I truly believe we touched people's lives.

How to Watch Kitchen Undercover

Kitchen Undercover premieres on Food Network Tuesday, July 28 at 9|8c and will stream the following day on HBO Max. Keep up with news on the series on Foodnetwork.com and get a glimpse of what happens behind the scenes on Food Network's social pages via #KitchenUndercover.