Kristina Zhao

Kristina Zhao is the Chinese-American restaurateur behind nationally acclaimed restaurants DASHI Sichuan Kitchen + Bar and Sichuan House. She cooks to bridge cultural differences and reimagines the American dining experience by bringing real tastes of Sichuanese cuisine to the limelight, expanding the boundaries of Sichuanese cuisine in San Antonio – one of only two UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy in the United States. The San Antonio native is highly active in the local culinary arts scene and strives to ignite passions and provide opportunities for world-class chefs living in obscurity to level up and create their legacy.

The University of Texas alumna also serves as a member of the San Antonio Food & Beverage Committee and the IPW 2023 Task Force, Texas Food & Wine Alliance Board Director, former San Antonio UNESCO City of Gastronomy Ambassador, and hosted the first James Beard Taste America Tour event in San Antonio at her latest concept, DASHI Sichuan Kitchen + Bar. 

“Beyond the amazing food, hospitality and experience, I am creating an environment that encourages our visitors and our team in our Dashi (大市: big/great city) to activate and nourish their inner Dashi (大师: master) and empowers them to do Dashi (大事: big/great things). I hope the essence of Dashi inspires a thirst for knowledge, creation, and commitment to excellence.”