For fine dining lovers, one of the most anticipated restaurants to open in New York this year has finally touched down. Recently, iconic Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare leader César Ramirez debuted his first solo project on a quiet stretch of Hudson Street in SoHo. César, which was just added to The MICHELIN Guide New York, offers a 12-course, $365 tasting menu that riffs off the style of service and seasonal, seafood-forward plates that earned Ramirez Three MICHELIN Stars for nine years in a covert space within a grocery store—first in Downtown Brooklyn, then in Midtown.
Credited as one of the first chefs in the country to introduce a style of dining in which a brigade of chefs cook for just a few diners in a counter-style space largely devoted to a kitchen way back in 2009, Ramirez re-tuned the dining playbook, with Japanese, French, Mexican, and Spanish flavors as his prime musical keys.
Lauded for dishes like his black truffle-accented Hokkaido uni brioche toast––which has since gone on to inspire countless knockoffs around the world––and more recently for his cloud-like frozen soufflé in flavors like matcha and summer corn, with César, Chef Ramirez continues to make a name for himself in New York’s fine dining scene.
Recently, we sat down with him to learn more about his style, his new restaurant, and more.
Congratulations on the opening! What has it taken to get here?
It has been a lot of hard work and planning. It took one week to find the space—seems it was meant to be—but from start to finish, it took about a year. The space was gutted when we got it, so we did not have to remove much of the old equipment. It really was a blank canvas.
What was it about this space that spoke to you?
The neighborhood, how wide it was, the high ceilings, and the history of the space having been a printing house.
What was it like to spearhead your own concept for the first time?
I have done it for other people, so I had a clear vision of what I wanted. It has been my dream to have a place of my own. Working on the restaurant has been very fulfilling.
Tell us about your design aesthetic.
Three words: simple, clean, and timeless.
How did you decide on the chef's counter format?
Basically, this format was something I had knowledge about from working with Bouley and traveling to Japan with him so often. Even though Bouley had a closed kitchen, he would always welcome guests into it to watch the proceedings and talk with them about their meal. I loved the interaction and watching guests appreciate what we cooked for them. We have nothing to hide from our guests.
How many guests do you cook for nightly, and how big is your kitchen team?
About 50 guests each night, and my team consists of me, six savory chefs, and two pastry chefs.
Tell us about your team.
They all come from different parts of the world, and have worked in restaurants with One, Two, and Three MICHELIN Stars.
What are you most excited about right now on your menu?
The current menu is a 12-course seasonal summer menu, and I am inspired by the bounty of what is out there. We are using corn, tomatoes, and other vegetables and fruits. I am getting quail from Wolfe Ranch, and I think it's the best quail in the world. The menu will always be ingredient focused, and I source the best that is out there at the time.
For fans of your work at Chef’s Table, how similar is César?
It is a tasting menu format that I developed 15 years ago. We have a space where we can comfortably serve our guests, and I made sure that each table has a view of the kitchen.
What should guests know about your beverage program?
We serve a few cocktails, wines from different regions of the world, and non-alcoholic drinks. The wine program features more than 400 selections. Among the 2,000 bottles in the current inventory, the primary strengths are white wines and lighter red wines from France’s Burgundy and Loire Valley, as well as Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.
What do you want diners to know about César?
That everyone that works here cares about them, and that we try to give them not just 100% but 200%.
Hero image: Adriana Rodriguez / César
