Meet the Chef

Christina Sunae is an American chef based in Argentina and USA. Of Korean descent, she spoke her first words in Japan and grew up in the Philippines with her maternal family. Today, she divides her time between Buenos Aires and San Francisco, California, focusing on her work as a private chef using seasonal ingredients and teaching personalized cooking classes.

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Her culinary journey began in Buenos Aires with an iconic closed-door restaurant, followed by the opening of Sunae Asian Cantina, solidifying her focus on Southeast Asian flavors. Over time, she created ApuNena, her Asian tapas restaurant, and in 2020 expanded her concept internationally by bringing Señorita Sunae to BGC, Manila, in partnership with the Nikkei Group. She has also shared her culinary identity in two books: Sabores del Sudeste Asiático (2013) and Kusinera Filipina (2021), the latter a deep dive into the culture, recipes, and landscapes of the Philippines. She appeared as a guest chef on MasterChef Argentina and was featured in a full episode of Cablevisión Flow’s Maridaje, pairing custom dishes with Patagonian wines.

Today, Christina Sunae brings personalized private chef services to San Francisco. Whether you are hosting a cozy dinner for two, a lively family celebration, or a 200-guest gala, she crafts unforgettable meals centered around fresh, seasonal California produce.