Well seasoned

César Ramirez

Photograph: Beth Levendis

César Ramirez, chef-partner, Bar Blanc

“Don’t call me a chef, I’m a craftsman,” says César Ramirez. Like many artisans, he’s been plying his trade for years. Originally from Chicago, Ramirez developed his love of cooking at home. “I grew up eating pig’s feet and brains,” he says. While sous chef at Chicago’s Tru in 1999, he met David Bouley, who offered him his first job in New York. Ramirez accepted, eventually becoming chef de cuisine at Bouley. Traveling with the chef in Japan changed Ramirez’s outlook on cooking: “The respect they have for their food… It’s so clean, pure and simple.”

At Bar Blanc (142 W 10th St between Greenwich Ave and Waverly Pl, 212-255-2330), which Ramirez opened last year with Bouley vets Didier Palange and Kiwon Standen, this aesthetic comes through in pristine dishes that seamlessly blend international flavors. Ramirez keeps the menu short, and the limited number of seats allows him to use time-consuming methods that are less practical in high-volume restaurants. Has he considered TV? Lucky for us, no: “For me, cooking is much more than that. If I can’t create what I want, what’s the point?” —DG

NEXT: Andy Boggs and Stephanie Schneider »