meet the family
Betty Zlatchin started catering out of her home kitchen in Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, over forty years ago. Her legacy continues today with operations run by her son David and our incredible team, many of whom have been with us for over twenty years.
Our passion is creating unforgettable experiences through exceptional food – and none of that would be possible without our team of experts, who have become like family over the years.
David Zlatchin
CEO
david@bettyzlatchin.com
Great food has always been a part of David’s life. A native of San Francisco, and Betty’s son, David worked throughout high school at Betty Zlatchin Catering, as well as other catering companies and restaurants. “Growing up, I was constantly helping my parents in the kitchen as the family ‘sous chef.’ About two-to-three times a week we’d check out the hot restaurants and ethnic dives to keep abreast of the restaurant scene. When I was six years old, I remember eating tripe at Alain Chapel’s three-star restaurant outside of Lyon, France, and playing with frogs in the pond.”
David received his Masters of Public Policy (MPP) from the University of California, Berkeley in 1999. Prior to graduate school, he worked for several years as Deputy Director of Communications for United States Senator Paul Wellstone. David attended Macalester College in Minnesota. “Along with my public policy interests, I have always loved cooking and putting on events. But it was only during graduate school, though, that I really considered the catering and events field. I realized that was where my heart was despite my policy training. I absolutely love being a part of such a dynamic team that turns out consistently high quality food and service. There is nothing better than to hear a guest or client say how much they enjoyed the party. That is the best feeling.”
David is also a Board Member of Food Runners, a nonprofit agency that redistributes excess food from hotels, restaurants and caterers to those in need.
Betty Zlatchin
FOUNDER
betty@bettyzlatchin.com
Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Betty learned how to cook by helping her mother and grandmothers prepare classic Southern dishes. After college she went to work as a stewardess in first class for TWA. “Back then, stewardesses cooked all of the meals to order and it was very similar to catering,” says Betty. “Of course, a lot has changed since then.”
Betty began catering out of her home in the early 80’s. “In fact, catering just kind of fell in my lap. My husband and I loved giving parties at our home and a friend thought I might be interested in catering their corporate dinner party. I gave it a try, loved it, and was paid with a bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild.”
Of course, much has changed since the early days. Betty now owns a large, professional kitchen in San Francisco’s warehouse district. “I’ve catered parties of up to 2,500 people, and yet can still cater a party for two,” says Betty. She considers it an honor to be called on to be a partner in so many special moments in people’s lives.
While food is paramount to Betty’s success, she finds the design elements to be of equal importance. “I love transforming a room. I love to create an atmosphere,” she says. Betty finds inspiration in the diverse ethnic cuisine of San Francisco, as well as her travels to France and Italy. She speaks French and Spanish.
Dan filice
SENIOR EXECUTIVE CHEF
dan@bettyzlatchin.com
Dan’s culinary vision is the product of a food-passionate family upbringing, Michelin-starred training, and career success that extends to overseeing bespoke corporate dining services. In other words: the perfect recipe for creating the most memorable—and delicious—experiences for our clients.
As a member of a proud Italian family, Dan’s earliest memories revolve around the kitchen: making gnocchi with his grandparents, attending cooking classes with his parents, and of course tasting the results of all that hard work.
Graduating from Santa Clara University in 2010, Dan decided to pursue his first passion, cooking professionally at Flea Street Café in Menlo Park, an organic California restaurant. There he learned an appreciation for the flavors and quality of incorporating the best local ingredients. After a year at Flea Street, he moved to Chicago to work for Chef Jean Joho at Everest, a Michelin-starred French restaurant and one of the oldest fine dining restaurants in the city, becoming accomplished in the techniques and ingredients of French regional cuisine.
He then returned to the Bay Area to work at another Michelin-starred French restaurant, La Folie, applying French technique with market-driven style, made possible by California’s easy access to the best ingredients. Following La Folie, Dan joined the food team at Airbnb where, as chef de cuisine, he led a team of more than thirty employees to develop a globally-focused, constantly changing menu—and built his culinary expertise for the cuisines of six continents.
Dan joined Betty Zlatchin Catering in 2021, becoming Executive Chief in January of 2022. Dan’s culinary passion is on full display for clients, with his commitment to quality and innovative approaches, creating culinary magic, one dish at a time. An avid reader and collector of cookbooks from all over the world, Dan’s focus is, as much as possible, to let the best ingredients speak for themselves, ensuring clients are inspired and delighted.
Jose Vega
GENERAL MANAGER OF SERVICE & DESIGN
jose@bettyzlatchin.com
Brian Erlich
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
brian@bettyzlatchin.com
Norema Salinas
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
norema@bettyzlatchin.com
Nick Mullis
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
nick@bettyzlatchin.com
TOM RIPPY
EXECUTIVE CHEF
tom@bettyzlatchin.com
Elliott Johnson
CHEF DE CUISINE
elliott@bettyzlatchin.com
Michelle amrock
EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF
michelle@bettyzlatchin.com
Bryan Medina
SOUS CHEF
bryan@bettyzlatchin.com
Esteban Beas
SOUS CHEF
esteban@bettyzlatchin.com
Mark Hernandez
SENIOR FACILITY MANAGER
mark@bettyzlatchin.com
Antonio Carranza
ASSISTANT WAREHOUSE MANAGER
antonio@bettyzlatchin.com
Alex Creasy
STAFFING COORDINATOR
alex@bettyzlatchin.com
WESLEY NG
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
wesley@bettyzlatchin.com
Sheri richmond
OFFICE MANAGER
sheri@bettyzlatchin.com