Antonello Zito was tired. The chef, social media influencer, and owner of Palmina by Puglia in Palm Springs had been up since 5 a.m., facing off against three other chefs in the semifinals of Chopped: Battle Italiano, a show that started with 16 hopeful contestants.
He’d cooked three elaborate dishes — mussel soup, lamb ragu, and a dessert crumble with two sauces — each in less than 30 minutes, drawing praise from judges Scott Conant, Alex Guarnaschelli, and Gabriele Bertaccini. He’d beaten chef Preston Paine in the last round to secure his place in the finale. But, at 11 p.m., he was still stuck in interviews with producers.
Finally, Zito recalls saying, “Look, I’m going to win the Grand Battle Italiano tomorrow, and then I will spend one more hour with you.” But it was time for bed.
The following day, he kept his promise, winning the crown — and the $25,000 grand prize — in a three-course match-up against three other finalists. “[The team] said to me, ‘You are now part of our Chopped family.’ That was insane. I came from Italy seven years ago with nothing,” Zito says. “That was one of the best days of my life.”
