On todays THE FOOD SEEN, we learn that Chez Jose is much more than a pop-up restaurant- its a purpose. Jose Ramirez-Ruiz grew up on the small island of Puerto Rico. He became worldly through cooking. His food reflects a journey- from Michelin starred kitchens, to European gardens. An ideology borrowed from a mentor, Oriol Rovira of Els Casals in Spain, to 1. Tencat Cercles (close the circles) and 2. create and follow your own train of thought, brings Jose to the vegetable focused forefront, in collaboration with his partner, Pam Yung. Together, what theyre creating is a space for their food to exist, based on their relations with it, in hopes to find its/their identity through it all. Thanks to our sponsor, Fairway Market. Thanks to Cookies for todays music. It took me a couple of years to realize what I learned in Europe. I met many amazing European cooks, but I always believed that European cooks could cook circles around me. But American cooks are very good. It gave me more confidence. [15:50] If I am an American chef in an American kitchen, why cant I be proud of that? Why am I always looking to French kitchens? [23:00] -- Jose Ramirez Ruiz on THE FOOD SEEN