César was born in a small town between Mexico City and Guanajuato. Influenced by his great grandmother’s Spanish heritage and the rich flavors of Mexican cuisine, these cultural influences developed his passion for the culinary arts.

Moving and growing up in Chicago, César was fortunate enough to work in some of the best restaurants there, traveling at an early age to immerse himself to European culture and gastronomy. 

After relocating to New York in 1998, César spent nine years working with David Bouley at Danube and Bouley; this was a pivotal time and place that shaped César’s life and career. As executive chef, César oversaw Bouley, which was regarded as one of the top restaurants in New York. There he was introduced to Japanese cuisine, often traveling to Japan to learn, foremost about the culture, ingredients, and techniques, which are some of the key components of César’s cooking today.