Santana Diaz

Director of Culinary Operations and Innovation, Executive Chef, UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA

Chef Santana Diaz oversees UC Davis Health’s production kitchen – one of the largest in the region – serving more than 7,000 meals a day at three locations on the Sacramento campus. 

Under Diaz’s direction, UC Davis Health has transitioned into a true farm-to-fork healthy food program with locally sourced, world-class cuisine menu options. The Food and Nutrition Services food operation is a model for the other health care facilities around the state, even around the country with a commitment to sustainable, healthy food practices that promote healing and long-term health as the ultimate goal. 

By purchasing much of its food from sources almost within view of the hospital’s tallest tower, UC Davis Health has reduced delivery mileage and fuel consumption, lowered its carbon footprint, and provided a healthy economic boost for locally produced, high-quality grown food products. 

Before joining UC Davis Health, Diaz had created the systems and recipes for executing the first 90% sourced within 150-mile radius food program for the sporting world as the executive chef of the Golden 1 Center (home of the NBA Sacramento Kings). Prior to joining the Golden 1 Center, Diaz had established a similar farm-to-fork concept at the San Francisco 49ers’ Levi’s Stadium. 

Diaz previously honed his skills at a variety of restaurants, including the highly regarded Taste Restaurant in Plymouth and The Firehouse in Old Sacramento before taking on the logistical challenges of large-scale food production and sourcing for venues servicing capacities upwards of 70,000 per event. (Sacramento, CA)