For over 15 years, Cristina Ardon welcomed diners into El Guanaco not only with food but with a sense of home.
Last week, the Salvadoran-born chef and co-owner of the Oakland Park restaurant died after a sudden illness, leaving behind a close-knit staff, a loyal clientele, and a community grappling with the loss.
Ardon began working in restaurants at just 17, starting as a cashier and quickly developing a deep love for hospitality. She spent more than a decade at California Pizza Kitchen, where she met her co-owner and fellow chef Rudi Lopez, before opening El Guanaco in Oakland Park in December 2010.
For more than fifteen years, her daily presence became an essential part of the dining experience…