I inherited a passion for cooking and hospitality from my family. My mother introduced me to the comforts of Southern cuisine, while my grandmother taught me traditional Sicilian cooking methods. In New Orleans, my father managed the renowned Elmwood restaurant, and my uncle owned several restaurants and bars, including the popular jazz club Brother’s Lounge, a key player in the Tampa jazz scene of the 1980s.

Throughout my time in California, Arizona, and Georgia, I developed a deep appreciation for hospitality and cooking. Eventually, I settled in Tampa, where I spent 15 years honing my skills in the bar, catering, and restaurant industries, including a pivotal role at Mise en Place Bistro.

Hospitality was never my true calling. For over twenty-five years, I’ve been a special education teacher, empowering adults with disabilities to develop essential work and life skills. Though I love cooking and the charm of the kitchen, I chose to pursue it as a side business while focusing on my teaching career.

In 2009, I started hosting pop-up dinners under the name LOKO Cuisine, which is a blend of my Italian surname, LoScalzo, and my wife’s Japanese surname, Kojima. Shortly after, I partnered with Cigar City Brewing to launch Eggs & Kegs, a pop-up brunch concept that now travels to various Tampa Bay-area breweries on the third Sunday of each month. My menus highlight beer as a key ingredient, incorporating it in my cooking to enhance dishes and showcase its diverse flavor profiles.

LOKO Cuisine builds connections between breweries and guests through food and beer, fostering shared appreciation and creating meaningful experiences. I enjoy planning, cooking, and connecting with others; however, the most rewarding moment for me is seeing the joy on people’s faces when they taste a dish I’ve prepared.

I’m truly grateful to my amazing wife, Stephanie, for always cheering on my adventurous ideas, to our guests for consistently joining our events, and to the brewery community for their strong support.

John LoScalzo | LOKO Cuisine Owner and Chef