Sous Chef Fernando Ramirez

Fernando started with Xiomara Restaurant in Pasadena in 1993 and has been an integral part of her restaurants ever since. After helping in the kitchen as a dishwasher, Fernando quickly moved onto food preparation and later served as a line cook where he demonstrated an intuitive talent for cooking. As he took on greater responsibilities, he began developing his culinary skills, first under chefs Robert Gatsby and later Patrick Healy. At the time, Xiomara featured French style fine dining. The restaurant was widely acclaimed and Fernando played an instrumental role, helping the kitchen consistently deliver innovative and flavorful food. When Xiomara changed her concept to Nuevo Latino cuisine in 1996, Fernando began to play an even larger role, assisting Xiomara on executing her Cuban-inspired menu. The restaurant again achieved national recognition, this time for its exciting and creative Latin cuisine. In addition, he expedited the food at Café Atlantic, the spin-off restaurant that Xiomara opened in 2001 in Pasadena and featured authentic Cuban food.

In 2003, Fernando moved from Xiomara Restaurant in Pasadena to Xiomara on Melrose (Los Angeles) where he was the main cook and expediter. Now, as a newly appointed Sous Chef, he will be utilizing his wide cooking experience and supporting Executive Chef Xiomara in executing her California Cuisine style cooking.