meet your chef, Cat castaneda

Chef Cat Castaneda is a Culinary Institute of America graduate, private chef, caterer, restaurateur, and the chef-owner of Native Fields, a farm-to-table restaurant in Walnut, California.

Her career has taken her from New York culinary training to some of Los Angeles’ most respected kitchens. After returning to California, Cat worked with her mentor, James Beard Award-winning chef Suzanne Goin, at Lucques and a.o.c., before spending five years as Chef of Forage Restaurant in Silver Lake.

Her cooking is rooted in the abundance and cultural diversity of California—farmers markets, beautiful seasonal produce, bold flavors, and food that feels elevated without ever feeling overly formal.

While earning her degree in Agricultural Science from Cal Poly Pomona, Cat opened Native Fields in 2018 in honor of their late father, Marcel Castaneda.

Today, Cat divides her time between Native Fields and Catty Cooks, providing private chef experiences, intimate dinners, custom catering, family meals, celebrations, and special events throughout Los Angeles and Orange County.

Her style is personal, seasonal, and hospitality-driven—thoughtful menus, beautiful ingredients, and food designed around the people she is cooking for.

Whether she’s cooking dinner in a private home, creating a special event menu, or serving guests at Native Fields, Cat’s goal is always the same: make it delicious, make it beautiful, and make people feel taken care of.

Private Chef & Catering Service Areas

Chef Cat Castaneda regularly serves clients throughout Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, West Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Marino, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Palos Verdes, Long Beach, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Yorba Linda, Anaheim Hills, Fullerton, Brea, Diamond Bar, Walnut, West Covina, San Dimas, and surrounding Southern California communities.