Julio Cesar Ramos was born and raised in Veracruz, Mexico, and spent much of his childhood with family, learning how to prepare various types of fresh seafood caught along the Western Coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

At the age of 19, Cesar moved to the United States and began working as a dishwasher at La Piazza in Santa Monica, California and quickly moved up the ranks within the kitchen. After working at Michael Mina in the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas and Cipriani in Miami, he moved to New York to work at Cipriani Downtown. Following two seasons working alongside Chef Gabriel Frasca in Nantucket, Massachusetts, Cesar moved back to New York in 2010 to join the Altamarea Group team in opening Osteria Morini in SoHo, where he was quickly promoted to Sous Chef.

Recognizing his talent and dedication, Cesar’s mentor, Chef Bill Dorrler asked Cesar to help open a second Osteria Morini in Bernardsville, New Jersey, where he worked for two years before being promoted again to Chef de Cuisine at Due Mari in New Brunswick. Today Cesar brings the same passion and expertise for preparing fresh, seasonal cuisine to the vast seascape of Due Mari’s menu.