---
title: "Christopher Hansen named head of culinary at Portillo's"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/bbb6bb46-8cf8-4630-9d5c-af817ebbcc91
source: "Nation's Restaurant News"
original_url: https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/christopher-hansen-named-head-of-culinary-at-portillo-s
author: "Lisa Jennings"
category: "Mexican"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Mexican"
published: 2026-07-23T20:24:31.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T13:18:46.451Z
image: https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/bltea7aee2fca050a19/blt7b4249dc443b23ae/6a627961ce520c3ef6b61cc1/Portillos_allen.jpg?width=720&quality=80&disable=upscale
---

# Christopher Hansen named head of culinary at Portillo's

**TL;DR:** Portillo's has named Christopher Hansen as its new head of culinary, overseeing culinary innovation and menu evolution during its national expansion. Hansen brings three decades of experience in culinary leadership roles, most recently heading U.S. culinary business for Guzman Y Gomez.

*By Lisa Jennings, originally published in Nation's Restaurant News on 2026-07-23. [Read the original](https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/christopher-hansen-named-head-of-culinary-at-portillo-s).*

## Story

Portillo’s has a new head of culinary.

The Chicago-based chain on Thursday said Christopher Hansen has been named executive chef and senior director of culinary innovation.

Hansen has three decades of experience in culinary leadership roles. Most recently he headed U.S. culinary business for the fast-casual Mexican chain Guzman Y Gomez, which is based in Australia. Guzman Y Gomez had eight units domestically but announced earlier this year that all would close as the brand exited the U.S. market.

Portillo’s President and CEO Brett Patterson said Hansen would play a role in the brand’s menu evolution as the 100-unit Portillo’s grows.

“Christopher brings a rare combination of culinary creativity, commercial discipline and a deep appreciation for the brands and people behind great food,” Patterson said in a statement.

Hansen, meanwhile, said he, as a Chicagoan, has long admired what Portillo’s means to the city and people who grew up with the brand.

“That’s a legacy you don’t reinvent,” he said in a statement. “You respect it, protect it and build upon it.”

## Entities

- QSR (sector)
- Nation's Restaurant News (publication)
- executive appointment (topic)
- national expansion (topic)
- Lisa Jennings (person)
- Portillo's (company)
- culinary innovation (topic)
- menu evolution (topic)
- Brett Patterson (person)
- Guzman y Gomez (company)
- Christopher Hansen (person)

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Originally reported by Lisa Jennings, Nation's Restaurant News (https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/christopher-hansen-named-head-of-culinary-at-portillo-s). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/bbb6bb46-8cf8-4630-9d5c-af817ebbcc91).