About The Roasting Dude

Dan Lantonio didn’t choose the roast life — the roast life forged him through fire and made him unbreakable. After graduating from culinary school in Manhattan in 2006, he moved to Virginia in 2009 and built a reputation as a sought-after private chef. He went on to own The Cookie Guy Cafe in Berryville, VA (for five years), S&D’s BBQ trailer in Hillsboro, VA, The Waffle Dude trailer near Harpers Ferry, WV, and Chocolate Con Amor — turning his passion for flavor into a delicious local empire.
Life tested Dan’s resilience like few others. Diagnosed with colon cancer, he faced grueling treatments with unbreakable determination, refusing to let the disease define or defeat him. He emerged victorious through sheer grit. Not long after, kidney failure struck — yet he endured dialysis and received a life-saving transplant. These battles didn’t break him; they strengthened his spirit, deepened his appreciation for life’s simple pleasures, and fueled his next chapter. Dan transformed survival into superpower, channeling that hard-won resilience into mastering the art of coffee roasting.
Today, as The Coffee Roasting Dude, Dan brings the same culinary precision, relentless passion, and creative fire to every batch of beans. From carefully sourcing the finest green coffee to perfecting roast profiles that highlight unique flavors, aromas, and stories, he crafts exceptional coffees that connect people over truly remarkable cups.
Signature Style
Equal parts culinary expertise and creative fire. He doesn’t just roast beans — he coaxes out their hidden potential with surgical timing, temperature control, and bold experimentation. Whether light and bright, medium and balanced, or dark and bold, every roast reflects the care of a chef who understands how heat transforms ingredients into something extraordinary.
Career Highlights
• Built multiple successful food businesses rooted in flavor and community
• Overcame colon cancer and a kidney transplant through extraordinary resilience, emerging stronger and more passionate than ever
• Channels decades of culinary experience into exceptional, small-batch coffee roasts
• Creates single-origin offerings and signature blends that celebrate craftsmanship and second chances
When he’s not roasting coffee, Dan still experiments in the kitchen, scouts new flavor inspirations on long walks, and cherishes time with family and friends. He’s living proof that resilience isn’t just surviving the fire — it’s emerging hotter, bolder, and ready to share something truly special with the world.