Chef Katrina Flores-Guzman is a lecturing instructor in Culinary Arts at CIA San Antonio. She is passionate about the power of food to educate, connect, and inspire, and she teaches culinary arts and restaurant operations courses, including Savor, the on-campus, student-run restaurant. Through immersive, hands-on instruction, she blends classical technique, professional kitchen standards, and cultural storytelling to help students develop both technical confidence and personal voice.
Her 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.
Flores-Guzman 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.
From 2022 to 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.
In January 2024, she joined CIA. In addition to her teaching role, Flores-Guzman, a Certified Higher Education Professional (CHEP), serves as faculty chair for the CIA San Antonio campus and as assessment coordinator, supporting academic governance, program learning outcome alignment, and faculty-assessment processes. She is actively involved in community-engagement initiatives, including partnerships with the San Antonio Food Bank and Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Her work and culinary perspective have been featured in Texas Eats, Dish and Dames, San Antonio Current, CIA media outlets, and The Daytripper.
Flores-Guzman holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Culinary Nutrition and Foodservice Management from Johnson & Wales University.
When she is not in the kitchen or classroom, she enjoys traveling, hiking, spending time with her husband and their dog, Porter, staying active in her church community, mentoring emerging culinary professionals, exploring regional cuisines, and unwinding with a good book.