Christina Betondo, Executive Chef of Central Production Kitchen

Christina became intrigued with hospitality and foodservice after a life-changing trip to Las Vegas. Whereas most are fascinated by the sights of the Strip, Christina found herself connecting with chefs and restaurant managers. Following her passion, she attended the California Culinary Academy after earning a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Administration from Austin State University in Texas.

After graduating from culinary school, she and fellow CCA graduate and current R&DE co-worker Chef Tami Lin ran the kitchen at Durty Nelly’s, an Irish pub in San Francisco. There she revitalized the menu to serve authentic cuisine sourced from local purveyors. She continued her journey as chef and co-owner of her own restaurant, Bloo, where the menu elevated classic American comfort food with dishes like Wine-braised Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta. To satisfy her need for adventure, she also served as Sous Chef for a reality television show in Acapulco, Mexico, and as Head Chef for a National Geographic eco-tour cruise ship. As Executive Chef of The Sports Club/LA, she honed her skills in performance cuisine. Under Executive Chef Charles Phan, she served as Head Chef for the 18th Street Commissary Kitchen. It is here that she mastered large quantity cooking by consistently producing food for The Slanted Door Group’s five restaurants.

Christina brings this lifetime of culinary skills to Stanford, where she continues to develop recipes as the Executive Chef of the R&DE Stanford Dining Central Production Kitchen. She was also recently certified in the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation cooking curriculum, and through Jamie Oliver's Cook Smart Program at the Teaching Kitchen @ Stanford, uses Jamie’s hands-on curriculum to teach students the fundamentals of cooking delicious meals while understanding how to eat healthier and build confidence in cooking for themselves and others.