Chef Katrina Flores-Guzman is assistant dean of Academic Affairs at CIA San Antonio. Working with Associate Dean Jose Frade, she helps oversee the faculty, students, curriculum, and public restaurants at the Texas campus and collaborates with team members across all CIA campuses and the college’s business and education partners.
Previously, she was a lecturing instructor at CIA, teaching courses in culinary arts and restaurant operations, including in Savor, the on-campus, student-run restaurant.
Before joining CIA in 2024, she served as sous chef at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter & Riverwalk, overseeing culinary operations for multiple full-service restaurants, lounges, and high-volume dining venues across two major hotels. Her role included menu development, team leadership, and execution of large-scale events and charitable dinners.
Flores-Guzman’s culinary career began in Washington, DC, where she worked as a corporate chef supporting daily operations for the United States Federal Courts at the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building. She then advanced into healthcare dining leadership as general manager with Sodexo at ManorCare in Maryland, overseeing foodservice operations and contributing systems later adopted at a regional level. She subsequently joined Occasions Caterers in Washington, DC, working in large-scale catering and events, supporting high-profile corporate and social functions.
She went on to work in culinary research and product development with Brinker International before relocating to San Antonio. There, she joined True Flavors Catering as culinary sales manager, supporting large-scale events and award-winning productions. She later shaped community-focused culinary education as culinary and wellness program instructor at the San Antonio Botanical Garden, where she designed year-round programming integrating nutrition, sustainability, and global cuisine.
Flores-Guzman holds bachelor of science degrees in Culinary Nutrition and Foodservice Management from Johnson & Wales University. She is also a Certified Higher Education Professional (CHEP). Her work and culinary perspective have been featured in Texas Eats, Dish and Dames, San Antonio Current, CIA media outlets, and The Daytripper.
When she is not in the kitchen or classroom, she is active in community-engagement initiatives, including partnerships with the San Antonio Food Bank and Ronald McDonald House Charities. She also enjoys traveling, hiking, spending time with her husband and their dachshunds Porter and Brisket, staying active in her church community, mentoring emerging culinary professionals, exploring regional cuisines, and unwinding with a good book.