Today we’d like to introduce you to Teresa Ramos.
Hi Teresa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey didn’t start with a plan, but with a craving, for something more creative, more connected, more delicious. After graduating college with a degree in political science, I found myself working as a legal secretary at a corporate law firm in Manhattan. Honestly, I was terrible at it, it just wasn’t for me. I’d spend every spare moment outside the office cooking, hosting dinner parties in my tiny apartment, or on the roof, turning my free time into something creative and soulful. That job didn’t last long. On impulse, but really, it was intuition, I enrolled in culinary school. I received formal training at the International Culinary Center (formerly The French Culinary Institute) in NYC and at ALMA Scuola Internazionale Di Cucina in Parma, Italy. Half the program was in Italy, so before I knew it, my weeks were filled with intensive training, and my weekends were spent hopping around Europe, eating, exploring, and occasionally partying a little too hard. It was the experience of a lifetime.
The program itself was rigorous and inspiring, but what really shaped me was everything outside the classroom: eating my way through different cities, soaking in their culture, and paying close attention to how people related to food. The portion sizes, the pace of meals, the deep respect for ingredients, and the joy of sharing food, it all left a huge impression. My cooking is deeply inspired by my love for travel. I craft dishes that are both elegant and bold, drawing on the classical foundation I gained in school and the diverse range of ingredients and techniques I’ve picked up from my global adventures. I believe dining should be a full sensory experience, flavors ranging from complex to simple, beautiful presentation, and a carefully curated atmosphere.
Last August, my daughter and I made the move from NYC to Miami. Since relocating, my work has taken me to LA, Denver, and back to New York, and that’s exactly why I love what I do. No two events or menus are ever the same. Even though I’m always cooking, I’m constantly creating, so it never feels repetitive. Each stage of the process brings its own rhythm: the structure and strategy of menu planning and sourcing inventory, the slower, almost meditative pace of prep days, and then the electric, fast-paced energy of event day, making sure every guest gets a dish that’s just as delicious, hot, and as beautiful as the one before.
Now that I’m a professionally trained chef, I know that one day, I’ll open my dream spot, inspired by a little café I wandered into alone in Milan. That moment sitting there, completely present with a plate of something simple and perfect, is the kind of feeling I want to recreate for others.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth ride! I was so excited about my career, cooking for some incredible events in amazing locations. I catered a wedding in a beautiful loft in Soho, then worked on Jordan Brand’s All-Star Weekend activation. There were so many exciting things ahead. Then, just a week later, I found out I was pregnant, and right after that, the world went into lockdown. Everything just came to a standstill, and so did my momentum. It took a few years to really adjust to motherhood and I’m thankful I was able to focus on my beautiful daughter.
Over the past two years, I’ve fully immersed myself back into work, taking on exciting events, creating cooking content for brands, and launching a supper club called ten•ant alongside Chef Ashley Guzman. Stay tuned Miami, we are bringing our supper club to Miami this fall!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Pretty & Plated?
Pretty and Plated started in 2016 as a catering company, and since then, I’ve had the joy of cooking in places like Paris, Bermuda, and across the U.S. I’ve been lucky to collaborate with close friends and work with brands like Jordan, Neutrogena, and Vice. Whether it’s cooking for events, creating content, or writing recipes, it’s been such a fun and fulfilling journey.
What were you like growing up?
I’ve always been drawn to the kitchen, especially in the summer when I’d cook with my Grandma Sandy. We’d make simple things like boxed brownies or deviled eggs to take to the beach, and it felt like magic to create something we could share. My little brother Satchie and I used to have these wild smoothie and cooking competitions, sometimes they’d turn out delicious, other times we’d throw in the weirdest ingredients just to make each other laugh.
When I went off to boarding school, we had something called “workjob” and I ended up working in the kitchen prepping and refilling food for the salad bar and later I was moved to dishwashing. One night, I made a huge pot of what my family called“cocolopez” a Puerto Rican-style sweet harina with coconut cream for the girls in my dorm. That moment really stuck with me, I saw how something as simple as a breakfast treat my dad used to make for us, give these girls a window into my home life and culture. My first real summer job was at my best friend’s parents’ fine dining restaurant. That was an amazing experience in such a fast paced environment, the care and attention to detail and precision. I learned so much and really fell in love with the industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.prettyandplated.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefteresaramos/
