Antoine Thomas

"I am Antoine! I am THE KING OF CUISINE!"

- Antoine Thomas, describing himself

Antoine Thomas, also known as Chef Antoine, is a psychopath appearing in Dead Rising 2 during the mission Tastes Like Chicken. He is the owner of Antoine's, a cookware store in Royal Flush Plaza, and calls himself "The King of Cuisine". He was going to be interviewed by a reporter from a famous food magazine, but the zombie outbreak in Fortune City destroys his chance at fame. Unfortunately for Chuck and other sane survivors, he's still under the delusion that the reviewer is on his way, and is using anything that the outbreak can provide to create the perfect dish.

Tastes Like Chicken
Chuck encounters him while searching for a survivor named Cinda Smith in the Cucina Donnacci restaurant in the Food Court. Antoine mistakes Chuck for the magazine reporter, and offers him a meal made from "ingredients" nobody has dared to imagine. His preparation for his meals reveals that he has taken Cinda hostage, and hints that he plans to kill her and serve her as another dish made from human flesh. Chuck insults Antoine by saying "Who the hell would want to eat THIS?!", possibly after realizing it's made out of human meat. Antoine, having been infuriated picks up a chef knife and implies that he will make Chuck into one of his dishes and attacks.

After he is defeated, he attempts to support himself on a fryer, but his hand slips, plunging his arm and head into the boiling grease, resulting in death. Once Antoine is killed, Chuck is given the opportunity to unlock the freezer and rescue the captive barkeep inside.

Tactics
thumb|300px|right|Antoine Fight

Melee

 * A perfect weapon against Antoine is the Knife Gloves. Run up near him while he is eating and attack him a few times; he will attack with his frying pan, but sometimes, he will run away again instead of forcing a apple into Chuck's mouth. Chuck should never attempt this when the apple attack would normally kill him, as the chance is still present, but significantly lowered. If he has to heal (it's recommended that he first stop by the steak house next door for food), try to do so quickly, as Antoine can heal himself by eating dishes both in the kitchen, and outside, on the tables. Stand behind cover, or simply keep moving in a perpendicular motion for his ranged attacks (frying pans, plates, cleavers), and wait for him to start healing again. Repeat attacking him while he is most vulnerable, while keeping an eye on Chuck's health. Make no more than a three-hit combo against him while he is eating, and turn away immediately (possibly with a jump or roll as well) once he finishes.
 * If Chuck has no other options available use either the kitchen knives or a heated frying pan. Sidestep/avoid his melee attacks with his frying pan and attack once each time. After about 4 strikes (the 4th his reaction time is fastest so expect to get hit) he will run for food.
 * Chuck can also take him down by rushing him down with the paddle saw at every opportunity. Expect to lose some health if you use this method however.
 * Another strategy is to drive the Sports Car into his kitchen, and repeatedly ram him against the walls with it.

Ranged

 * Equipping yourself with three sniper rifles will take Antoine down, although the fight will be lengthy. Shoot at him ONCE when he runs to eat (he will deflect all subsequent shots) and then avoid him by running laps around the center structure. Chuck can avoid his ranged attacks by putting a column between himself and Antoine. If done correctly, he can stop Antoine from healing at all and only use 35 shots of the sniper rifle.
 * Another method is recruiting the nearby survivor Jasper from atop the Hamburger Fiefdom and arming him with a firearm (LMG, Merc Assault Rifle). While Chuck "tanks" (keeps aggro) Jasper can fire at the psychopath and kill him within moments. However, be sure to kill Antoine quickly as he can kill Jasper easily with a few hits of his frying pan.

Trivia

 * His voice actor is the same one who voices Big Earl Flaherty.
 * Antoine bears some similarities to Larry Chiang from Dead Rising, both of them being crazed food preparers with a taste for human flesh. They both also run away to heal up by eating, and they both use food as weapons (Larry tosses meat, while Antoine forces an apple down Chuck's throat).
 * The song that plays while fighting him is "Own Little World" by Celldweller.
 * Antoine is the only psychopath that can heal by eating food that he has laid on tables around the whole of the restaurant in Dead Rising 2.
 * When you kill him, he will sometimes glitch and fall through the floor.
 * Antoine's primary weapon is a pan, though he picks up a Chef Knife to attack Chuck before the battle.