Diagnosed just before the holidays in 2022, Diane remembers feeling overwhelmed and alone-until she found women with similar scars and shared strength. A Johnson & Wales-trained chef who believes food is a language, Diane now uses nourishment and connection as tools for healing.
For Diane Fantone, food has never just been about flavor — it has been about connection, culture, and care.
Born and raised in Westchester, New York, Diane discovered her love for cooking early. She followed that passion to Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, where she trained formally in the culinary arts. From there, she built her foundation in high-end kitchens, working in five-star restaurants and eventually moving from the intensity of the line into banquet and catering management.
Her career took her west in 1992, where she made a home in San Francisco. There, she worked at the Mandarin Oriental, refining her expertise in luxury hospitality. It was during that chapter of her life that she met the man who would become her husband, a connection that would eventually lead her around the world.
In 1999, she moved to Australia. She married in 2000, and together they spent a year traveling internationally from 2000–2001, immersing themselves in global cuisine and culture. That experience deeply expanded her culinary perspective and reinforced something she already believed: food is universal. It tells stories. It bridges differences. It builds community.
When she returned to the United States, Diane and her husband spent time in Bethany before ultimately choosing Annapolis as their home.
In Annapolis, her career evolved in a meaningful way. While she continued working in catering, weddings, and special events,including serving as a sales consultant at Main & Market, she began shifting toward more personal, purpose-driven work.
She launched a personal chef business and began teaching non-credit cooking classes simply for the joy of it. She created an elementary school program focused on educating children about fruits and vegetables, sponsored by the county, and led after-school cooking programs designed to spark curiosity and confidence in the kitchen.
“There’s something incredibly meaningful about creating an interest in a young person,” she says.
Even during the stress of the pandemic, she kept working. She adapted. She pivoted. And then she found another calling.
Diane joined Gigi’s Playhouse, a national organization serving children with Down syndrome. During quarantine, she created and led a virtual cooking show for children across the country. Each child cooked alongside a partner at home. For over a year, she served on the National Team, leading “Gigi’s Kitchen” online — building connection and joy during a time of isolation.
As in-person life resumed and the virtual program wound down, Diane began working with The Sunshine Project, supporting older young adults who still need structure and encouragement beyond the school system. She now hosts a weekly online cooking class and is building a cookbook based on three to four years of recipes developed with her students. She also leads an “All Star Cooking Show,” a role she describes as deeply rewarding.
Then in December 2022, her own life shifted.
Her breast cancer diagnosis required what she calls a “hard stop.”
For someone whose world revolved around taste, losing her ability to taste during treatment felt especially disorienting. There were days she showed up to teach completely exhausted. Days with no hair. Days when she couldn’t fully taste the dishes she was guiding others to prepare.
And yet, she kept showing up.
“The kids would send me cards,” she says. “I was so tired. But it gave me something to look forward to. It kept me going.”
Healing took time, nearly a year before she felt restored. She allowed herself to travel. To rest. To recover.
But cancer also changed the way she cooks.
Classically trained in French cuisine, Diane once embraced richness and traditional technique. Today, her philosophy has shifted toward what she calls “Eat to Live.”
“Food can help our bodies and our minds get on a healthier path,” she explains. “I’m not a vegetarian. I believe in moderation. But find the best version of the carbs. Don’t beat yourself up. You need to eat. Life is a balance.”
She is especially mindful about sugar, choosing monk fruit and other natural sweeteners over refined sugar whenever possible.
“For me, cutting sugar is one of the best ways to protect your body,” she says. “Make your own food when you can. That’s the best way to know what you’re putting into your body.”
Her approach isn’t about restriction- it’s about awareness.
“Listen to your body.”
This experience also shifted something deeper.
It taught her patience. It taught her to lean in and accept help — something that didn’t come easily for someone who has spent her life serving others.
“Cancer makes you ask, ‘Is that really important?’” she reflects. “It softens you. Life is simple. Take it easy.”(Except, she laughs, maybe in traffic.)
Diane wishes she had found Chesapeake Breasties during treatment. She was diagnosed just before Christmas — a time when everyone around her felt busy and distracted. In the middle of holiday chaos, she felt overwhelmed and a little alone.
Finding Chesapeake Breasties changed that.
“It’s different being the girl with breast cancer around friends who haven’t walked through it,” she shares. “It’s so good to be with women with similar scars.”
Women in the same geographic area. Similar diagnoses. Different stages. Honest conversations.
“Everyone is open. Willing to share. To chime in and help. To laugh.”
There is comfort in not having to explain. There is strength in sitting beside women who understand.
To someone newly navigating this journey, Diane offers grounded advice:
“Don’t be afraid to accept help. Do your research. Listen to your doctors — but get second opinions. Make sure your whole team is on the same page.”
Advocate for yourself. Nourish your body. Protect your energy.
And remember, you don’t have to do this alone.
