Anita Lo

Early life and education

Lo, a second-generation Malaysian American, grew up in Birmingham, Michigan.

She graduated from Concord Academy and then from Columbia University, where she earned a degree in French literature. While a student at Columbia, Lo spent time at its French language institute in Paris. It was there that she developed a love for French cuisine. A year after graduating from college she moved back to Paris to enroll at the culinary school L’Ecole Ritz-Escoffier. While a student there, she interned with top French chefs Guy Savoy and Michel Rostang.

Career

After completing culinary school in Paris, Lo returned to New York where she worked at several restaurants including Chanterelle, Can, a French-Vietnamese restaurant, and Maxim's. She then moved to Mirezi restaurant, where she earned headlines and rave reviews from restaurant critics, including Ruth Reichl from The New York Times.

Annisa

In 2000, Lo and her business partner Jennifer Scism opened Annisa, in New York's Greenwich Village. Annisa received a two-star review from The New York Times, Lo was named to Food & Wine magazine's list of the ten “Best New Chefs in America”, and The Village Voice named her the “Best New Restaurant Chef.” On July 4, 2009, Annisa was destroyed by fire. The restaurant reopened in April 2010 at the same location. The reopened restaurant was reviewed again by The New York Times and again received two stars. Scism also left Annisa in June 2010, leaving Lo as the sole owner. In 2011, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation recognized the restaurant's excellence with a Village Award. Annisa received three stars from The New York Times in 2014.

Rickshaw

In 2005, Lo co-founded Rickshaw, a dumpling bar with several locations in New York City. She left Rickshaw in 2010, saying that she wanted to devote more time to the recently re-opened Annisa and to her other professional interests.

Bar Q

In 2008, Lo opened Bar Q, a barbecue-Asian fusion restaurant in Greenwich Village. Bar Q received favorable food reviews but somewhat critical reviews for service and was not universally well received by residents in the neighborhood. It closed after ten months.

Television appearances

In 2005, Lo appeared on the first season of Iron Chef America. She competed against Iron Chef Mario Batali in Battle Mushrooms, defeating Batali by a score of 54-45. She was the first challenger to win a battle on Iron Chef America and remained the only female challenger to win until Traci Des Jardins defeated Batali in Episode 5 of Season 2.

In 2009, Lo was a contestant on the first season of Top Chef Masters. She finished in fourth place among the 24 competing chefs, earning $20,000 for her chosen charity, SHARE.

In 2011, Lo was a contestant on Chopped: All-Stars Tournament. She lost to Nate Appleman.

In 2015, Lo earned the honor of being the first female guest chef invited to cook for a State Dinner at the White House. She prepared a 4 course meal for the visiting Chinese president, Xi Jingping, and his wife, Peng Liyuan.