Born and raised in Veracruz, Mexico, Cesar Tamariz began cooking at a young age with his grandmother, drawing inspiration from her Spanish roots and family ties in Oaxaca to help make mole, tamales, and pozole. Tamariz’ professional cooking career began while attending university in Veracruz, where he discovered his passion for the fast-paced energy of a professional kitchen.
After graduating with a degree in hospitality business, Tamariz took a management position at Hotel Xalapa Veracruz, but quickly returned to the kitchen as a sous chef at the Grand Hotel Plaza Veracruz. While at the Grand Plaza, Tamariz worked his way up the ranks to senior restaurant manager, overseeing the property’s four restaurants, bakery, and butchery program.
With family ties in the United States, Tamariz and his wife moved to Boulder, CO in 2010. Eager to gain more experience in the hospitality industry, Tamariz began as a line cook at Boulder’s St. Julien Hotel & Spa, learning techniques from the St. Julien’s team of French, Venezuelan, and Argentinian chefs. In 2013, Tamariz joined Sage Restaurant Concepts, working under the direction of executive chef Jeff Bolton at Kachina Southwestern Grill in Westminster, before spending a year at Big Red F’s The Post Brewing Co. in Lafayette.
In 2016, Tamariz was encouraged by Bolton to return to Westminster, rejoining the Kachina team as sous chef. After a year in Westminster, Tamariz was promoted to chef de cuisine at Kachina Cantina in downtown Denver, helping to open the concept and first restaurant on Denver’s Dairy Block in March 2017. Tamariz is thrilled for the opportunity to grow with Sage and incorporate his grandmother’s traditional techniques into Kachina’s menu. Outside Kachina, Tamariz loves to spend time with his wife and two daughters and grow vegetables and spices in his home garden, including a variety of peppers.
