Private Events Manager Karen Almazan

Karen Almazan, Private Events Manager at One Market Restaurant, brings 13 years of dedicated service to her role. Karen has weathered the recent challenges in the city with resilience and ingenuity and has demonstrated exceptional creativity, moxie, and drive and brings those same qualities to her stewardship of the restaurant’s events, ranging from intimate gatherings to large meetings and buyouts.

Born in Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico, Karen began her hospitality career after moving to the United States. She joined One Market in September 2012 as a banquet server with no prior experience. She quickly advanced through roles at Red Café Corner, Toast Eatery, and Wayfare Tavern. By 2018, she became Banquet Captain at One Market, then Banquet Coordinator in 2022, and was promoted to Private Events Manager in 2023.

In March of 2024 Karen was recognized by the influential meetings and events magazine “Smart Women in Meetings” Read what they had to say about Karen’s accomplishments here: and see Karen’s own comments below.

Moment I Knew I Belonged in the Meetings Industry: After emigrating to the U.S. the first job I found was as a banquet server and then banquet captain. That opportunity to earn well and work with other service industry professionals in what felt immediately like a family was remarkably helpful and an important step in helping me acclimate to my new home. I knew I was in an industry where I belonged and in which I could build a strong foundation and future for myself and my daughter.

Welcoming Strategy: My professional background was as a Middle School teacher in my native city of Pachuca, Mexico. Just like teachers here in the U.S., part of my job was to ensure that my students felt welcome, comfortable and prepared to succeed and to excel. I hope I bring that same commitment to the One Market team and to our clients. The work of developing lesson plans for my students actually shares a lot of similarities with preparing event orders and the follow through for our clients.

Next Goal: My next goal is actually my present goal: stewarding the One Market Restaurant events program into what I am confident will be a full return to pre-pandemic levels of business. We’re on our way for sure but as San Francisco continues to battle outside narratives I want to be here and be a part of it as the city emerges in the post-pandemic era. San Francisco is still the most amazing, beautiful city in this country and I consider myself most fortunate to be here and at One Market Restaurant.

Outside of her professional life, Karen resides on Nob Hill, San Francisco, where she enjoys spending quality time with her daughter, Melissa. She loves going for long walks with her rescue Doberman Pinscher, Reese, and is an avid reader.