Justine Zegna brings over two decades of experience shaping restaurants that don't just serve food — they define atmosphere. From the original Planet X Café in College Park, MD, which earned a Washington Post feature for its ahead-of-its-time concept, to Venus of the Half Shell in Dewey Beach; leading to the Rehobeth Beach location of Planet X.
Her work has consistently lived at the intersection of culture, design, and food. Long before it was a trend, she was pushing farm-to-table forward; building spaces that felt raw, intentional, and rooted in place.
Outside the walls of traditional restaurants, Justine founded Planet X Catering; a band touring catering operation that ran for over a decade, feeding major touring acts and large-scale events including HFStivals and Tibetan Freedom. As a private chef for artists like Foo Fighters and Perry Farrell, she learned how to operate at a high level without losing edge.
In 2014, Justine brought that same energy to Berlin, Maryland, where Blacksmith was built as a modern gathering place for local organic food, craft beer, and small-batch spirits. Blacksmiths ethos is grounded in community, passion, and driven by decades of experience.
