Alexandra Guarnaschelli was born on June 20, 1969, in St. Louis, Missouri, but grew up in New York. Her mother, Maria Guarnaschelli, was a legendary cookbook editor who inspired her culinary passion. After college, she moved to France to train formally in the kitchens of Michelin-starred chefs, including Guy Savoy’s La Butte Chaillot in Paris. She then returned to the U.S. and worked at various restaurants before becoming executive chef at Butter in 2003. 

Her television career began in 2006 as a competitor on Food Network Challenge. She then appeared as a judge on Chopped, Iron Chef America, and Guy’s Grocery Games. In 2012, she won the 5th season of The Next Iron Chef: Redemption, becoming the second woman to hold the Iron Chef title. 

In 2020, Alex Guarnaschelli joined The Kitchen as a regular co-host, following several guest appearances on the show. She left the program in 2024 and signed a renewed multi-year deal with Food Network. She continues to appear on Wildcard Kitchen as a guest competitor and hosts Supermarket Stakeout. She is also the star of  Alex vs. America, which features her competing against a rotating series of challenger chefs.