Chef Edgar Ivan Ramirez

Private Chef in Playa del Carmen

Chef Edgar I. Ramirez

Chef with +14 years of experience and an outstanding career in luxury hotels and fine-dining restaurants (Forbes, AAA, among others).

Born and raised in Mexico City, I discovered my vocation and talent for the kitchen almost by chance, by joining the workforce at an early age to be able to pay for my own expenses and education. That’s how I began my professional career, first as a trainee and an assistant, until I became a cook, sous chef and executive chef; having the opportunity to work at hotels and fine-dining restaurants in Mexico City and later in the Yucatan Peninsula.

Since the beginning, I worked with renowned Italian and Mexican Chefs, with whom I forged my culinary bases specializing myself in these cuisines.

My cuisine is distinguished for being risky and creative. My fundamental principle is to seek the most artisanal way to prepare food in order to take care and enhance the natural flavors of each ingredient, being the most important thing to provide an extraordinary experience to my guests.

What I’m most passionate about is travel and culture, I love getting to know the destinations through their food, so when I come back home, I can share those experiences through my cooking. Definitely Japan and Singapore are the countries that have marked me the most.

For me, cooking is...

Gathering together to create memories thru ingredients and flavours that cautivate your senses.

I learned to cook at...

I have a degree in Gastronomy and continue learning at the kitchens of fine dining hotels and restaurants.

A cooking secret...

Cook with passion and creativity. Risk and never give up.

My menus

Flavors of Mexico Menu

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Tropical fish ceviche with pineapple, tomato, red onion, cilantro and coconut cream

Xcatic pepper filled with smoked marli, bell pepper, oaxaca cheese, red sauce and bacon

Mexican Salad with lettuce, grilled pineapple, cucumber, pickled onion, avocado, panela cheese, shrimp al pastor and green dressing

Cochinita pibil tostadita with black beans, creamy avocado, red onion and coriander

Mexican sopesitos with chorizo, black beans, lettuce, sour cream, fresh cheese and cilantro

Tuna carnitas tacos, oaxaca cheese, guacamole and red onion

Fish tacos (baja style) with coleslaw, Mexican sauce and chipotle dressing

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Tortilla soup: With guajillo pepper, fresh cheese, avocado and tortilla chip

Lime soup: Traditional soup from Yucatan, with chicken, pepper, and tortilla chip

Poblano pepper and corn cream: Creamy soup with sour cream and panela cheese

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Green or red sauce enchiladas filled with chicken, panela cheese, sour cream

Blue corn tortilla mole sauce enchiladas filled with turkey, avocado, lettuce, sour cream and panela cheese

Mexican fajita, chicken, flank steak or vegetarian

Pibil style chicken and lemon herbs rustic potato

Cochinita Pibil, Pork braised and slowly baked in banana leaf with axiote and pickled red onions

Grilled pork chop marinated in 3 chile adobo sauce, lemon herbs rustic potato and asparagus

Fish fillet with green pipian sauce with rice and grill vegetables

Tikin xic style fish with rice and grill vegetables

Beef fillet with red pipian sauce and roasted cauliflower

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Mayan chocolate brownie with raspberry

Churros with dulce de leche and raspberry

Passion fruit cheese cake with red fruits

Contemporary Mexican Set Menu

STARTER

All inclusive

Tuna Tataki Tostadita- Seared tuna tataki with a chili crust, served with grilled pineapple, red onion, cilantro, creamy avocado, and chipotle dressing

Tropical Shrimp Ceviche- Fresh shrimp ceviche with pineapple, mango, tomato, red onion, cilantro, and a touch of coconut cream

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Tarascan soup- Tomato broth with pepper and spices marinade, fried tortilla, fresh cheese, cream and avocado

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Tikin xic Fish- Red snapper marinated in achiote, served with asparagus and smoked cambray potatoes with fine herbs and lime

Beef Filet mignon- Filet mignon with red pipián adobo, served with baby carrots, and smoked cambray potatoes with fine herbs and lime

Braised short rib: 6 hours slow cook short rib marinated in 3 chile adobo sauce with cambray potatoes with fine herbs, lemon and asparagus

Salmon Filet- grilled salmon glazed with black recado sauce, served alongside Mexican-style rice and fresh vegetables

DESSERT

All inclusive

Mayan Chocolate Brownie- chocolate brownie with dry nuts, fresh raspberries, and a red wine hibiscus reduction

Contemporary International Set Menu

STARTER

All inclusive

Tuna Tataki Tostadita- Seared tuna tataki with a chili crust, served with grilled pineapple, red onion, cilantro, creamy avocado, and chipotle dressing

Roasted Caesar Salad- Roasted Caesar salad with crispy bacon, Parmigiano Reggiano, cherry tomatoes, tomato crostini, and classic Caesar dressing

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Shrimp Bisque with Truffle Essence- Rich and creamy shrimp soup with roasted peppers and a touch of truffle flavor

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Surf & Turf- Tender filet mignon paired with U15 shrimp, served with smoked mashed potatoes, asparagus, and finished with a rich red pipian adobo sauce

DESSERT

All inclusive

Mille-Feuille Cake- Layers of delicate puff pastry with luscious cream, and fresh red fruits accents

Contemporary Mexican menu

STARTER

All inclusive

Tuna Tataki Tostadita- 3 Chili crusted tuna tataki, grilled pineapple, red onion, cilantro, creamy avocado and chipotle dressing

Tropical Shrimp Ceviche- Fresh shrimp ceviche with pineapple, mango, tomato, red onion, cilantro, and a touch of coconut cream

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Corn cream with xtabentun essence: Creamy corn, bell pepper, fresh cheese, bacon and xtabentun essence

Tortilla soup: With guajillo pepper, fresh cheese, avocado and tortilla chip

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Tikin xic fish- fish fillet in axiote marinade, asparagus and cambray potatoes with fine herbs and lemon

Beef Filet mignon- Filet mignon with red pipián adobo, served with baby carrots, and smoked cambray potatoes with fine herbs and lime

Cochinita Pibil- Pork braised and slowly baked in banana leaf with rice

Salmon Filet- grilled salmon glazed with black recado sauce, served alongside Mexican-style rice and fresh vegetables

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Mayan chocolate brownie with raspberry

Passion fruit cheese cake with red fruits

Local Taco Menu

STARTER

All inclusive

Guacamole & Mexican Sauce- Freshly made guacamole and house-made Mexican sauce, served with crispy totopos

Tuna Tataki Tostadita- 3 Chili crusted tuna tataki, grilled pineapple, red onion, cilantro, creamy avocado and chipotle dressing

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Baja-Style Fish Tacos- Lightly fried fish tacos served with crispy red cabbage, carrot, and chipotle mayonnaise dressing

Crispy Chicken Tacos- Golden chicken tacos served with fresh lettuce, sour cream, Cotija cheese, and finished with mole adobo sauce

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Cochinita Pibil- Pork braised and slowly baked in banana leaf

Side- Mexican-style rice- Mexican-style white rice with corn

Side- Maneado Beans- Traditional Mexican dish from Sonora, creamy refried beans, slowly cooked with chile guajillo and chihuahua cheese

DESSERT

All inclusive

Churros with dulce de leche and raspberry

Mexican Taco Menu

STARTER

All inclusive

House-Made Salsas- Two freshly crafted salsas, highlighting traditional Mexican flavors

Guacamole & Mexican Sauce- Freshly made guacamole and house-made Mexican sauce, served with crispy totopos

Crispy Chicken Tacos- Golden chicken tacos served with fresh lettuce, sour cream, Cotija cheese, and finished with mole adobo sauce

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Baja-Style Fish Tacos- Lightly fried fish tacos served with crispy red cabbage, carrot, and chipotle mayonnaise dressing

Traditional Mexican slow-cooked lamb barbacoa tacos with onion and cilantro

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Cochinita Pibil Tacos- Pork slowly braised and baked in banana leaf, served with pickled red onion and fresh avocado

Side- Mexican-style rice- Mexican-style white rice with corn

Side- Maneado Beans- Traditional Mexican dish from Sonora, creamy refried beans, slowly cooked with chile guajillo and chihuahua cheese

DESSERT

All inclusive

Churros with dulce de leche and raspberry

Local Menu

STARTER

All inclusive

Guacamole & Mexican Sauce- Freshly made guacamole and house-made Mexican sauce, served with crispy totopos

Tuna Tataki Tostadita- 3 Chili crusted tuna tataki, grilled pineapple, red onion, cilantro, creamy avocado and chipotle dressing

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Tropical Shrimp Ceviche- Fresh shrimp ceviche with pineapple, mango, tomato, red onion, cilantro, and a touch of coconut cream

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Cochinita Pibil- Pork braised and slowly baked in banana leaf

Chicken fajita with red onion and bell pepper

DESSERT

All inclusive

Mayan chocolate brownie- Chocolate brownie with red fruits and hibiscus sauce

Flavors of Italy Menu

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Octopus and potato with lemon and fine herbs

Arugula salad, cherry tomato, goat cheese, caramelized walnut and balsamic reduction

Fresh tuna tartar, cherry tomato, avocado, Parmesan Grana Padano cheese and lemon dressing

Capresse salad, tomato, cherry tomato, fresh mozzarrella cheese and basil pesto

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Pomodoro and basil cream

Potato and leek cream with truffle essence

Three cheeses cream

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Penne in arrabiata sauce with beef or chicken

Penne in pomodoro sauce with beef or chicken

Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe with chicken or shrimp

Spaghetti carbonara

Seafood risotto

Asparagus risotto with shrimp and saffron

Lemon and basil risotto with chicken

Mushroom risotto with tagliata beef fillet

Grilled salmon, sautéed spinach and mashed potatoes

Sea bass fillet in white wine sauce, cherry tomato, black olive, basil and lemon

Beef fillet in fine herbs sauce, mashed potatoes and asparagus

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Tiramisu

Panna cotta

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Chef Edgar Ivan's reviews

4.8

•

76 services

THE BEST

Chef Edgar and his team were absolutely amazing to work with. We had them provide meals during our recent trip to Tulum, and they were the highlight of it! The food was amazing, they were so polite and attentive with food allergies. Would go back to Tulum just to experience their cooking again!!

Chef Edgar and his assistant, Dani, were AMAZING! Far more than we expected! In Tulum 6 days, we were offered a very nice variety of foods with multiple courses! Chef gave a nice expression of each course and each meal, helping us truly appreciate what we were eating! Additionally, they remembered what we individually liked and didn't like. i.e. no sour cream for one person, but no cheese for another, and that was transferred to each meal without reminding them! They even knew that I wanted hot tea every morning and the others drank coffee! I HIGHLY recommend their service! Well worth the money!

The chef was sweet food was delicious

Chef Edgar was great. Very friendly, professional, and catered to all our needs and requests. We're a team of 25 who had our annual retreat conference in a rented villa and we had Chef Edgar and his team make breakfast brunch for 5 days. He went above and beyond to make it a wonderful experience, offered to do everything including the purchase of fresh bread to orange juice and groceries. We just basically sat in the dining hall to enjoy the experience of waking up in wonderful Tulum and subject ourselves to a great brunch c/o Chef Edgar. We also had a daily taco menu. Really outstanding. Thank you for everything!

My Chef Edgar was amazing. I'm a professional bodybuilder in training so I had some serious diet restrictions and my daughters were able to eat anything. I realize it was a LOT of work getting my ZERO fat meals done properly and at the same time making extravagant meals for my girls. Chef Edgar pulled it all off effortlessly. He was so accommodating with all our needs. I felt bad for having so many requests but he took it all in stride and nailed it perfectly. I highly recommend this Chef and I can't wait to use him again!

Outstanding Mexican Cuisine by Chef Edgar! Chef Edgar provided an incredible dining experience with expertly prepared, authentic Mexican dishes that exceeded our expectations. Each meal was beautifully presented and bursting with fresh flavors. The tuna tataki tostadita was a perfect balance of spice and freshness, while the lime soup and tortilla soup were rich, comforting, and packed with depth. The braised short rib melted in our mouths, and the Tikin Xic red snapper was cooked to perfection. We also loved the variety of tacos and the classic cochinita pibil—which was a hit with the pork lovers in our group! Every dessert was a delightful finish, from the passion fruit cheesecake to the Mayan chocolate brownie and the Yucatan-style rice pudding. Chef Edgar’s attention to detail and ability to accommodate our preferences made the experience even more special. We highly recommend Chef Edgar for anyone looking for an authentic, gourmet Mexican dining experience

Our chef with helper arrived on time. Very professional! Nice sense of humor. Created meals that were stupendous! Explained each course before we ate. Substituted foods for our people with allergies. Stayed very much on task. Cleaned up without hesitation. I would definitely recommend him to others!

TLDR: Highly recommend!! We were lucky to have Chef Edgar serve our group of four for 9 meals during our holiday vacation in QRoo. It was genuinely the highlight of the vacation to eat Edgar’s meals. The presentation was akin to a top restaurant in NYC (where we live). Edgar has an amazing range of cuisine and he really focuses on the visual presentation of each plate. Watching Edgar cook in our rented home’s kitchen was like having a seat at the chef’s table in the restaurant every night. The communication was super clear and each meal was agreed open days in advance. We preferred Edgar to present meal and dish options that we could choose between and that process worked out perfectly. We will be recommending Edgar to all our friends traveling to the area and we’ll be working with him again on our next trip.

Todo el menú excelente!!! Todo muy rico y lo recomiendo 10/10

Fantastic experience!

The overall experience was amazing and it was some of the best food I’ve had!

Chef was amazing!

Thank you to Chef Edgar and his assistant for their kindness and professionalism. We had a wonderful evening and a superb culinary experience. Chef Edgar proposed a menu to which we were able to make a few modifications to make the experience incredible. I warmly recommend it.

Having celebrated my birthday with a feast for 10 guests, Chef Ramirez crafted a spectacular five-course meal, but it was the Tuna Tataki Tostadita appetizer that set an unparalleled tone for the evening. Along with the amazing main course, the evening's highlight, without a doubt, was the red velvet birthday cake due to the incredible flavors and presentation. Chef Ramirez transformed a simple birthday gathering into an extraordinary culinary journey, making the occasion truly unforgettable. We are all looking forward to our next opportunity to relish his exceptional cooking. For those seeking to elevate their dining experiences, I wholeheartedly recommend Chef Edgar Ivan Ramirez - a master in the kitchen whose creations are both innovative and deeply satisfying.

Chef Edgar and his assistant Fabiola were wonderful. We had a lovely meal for 7 people that was delicious, filling, and exactly what we wanted. The green ceviche and enchiladas in particular were excellent. They left the kitchen in this rented Villa much better than they found it — and did all the clean up without hot water since the water heater is broken. If you are in Playa Del Carmen, I highly recommend you work with them. A+.

The chef exceeded me and my family's expectation. Everything was lovely, from presentation to the taste. They cleaned the kitchen, packed away the leftovers and were very hospitable. I would recommend takeachef to everyone.

Chef Edgar was not only an amazing choice for our family gathering but his sous chef was an extraordinarily tidy assistant, Food was wonderful! Highly recommend him !

I couldn’t recommend this more. You’ll eat incredible food prepped with such care, and you may even have some leftovers that let you enjoy your experience for days after! The chefs are so kind, lovely and talented. I’m so grateful to them for making the bachelorette party dinner such a lovely experience.

We loved Edgar! It was an amazing experience at our AirBnB. Would recommend!