Chef Eric Ramirez is the Culinary Director for Upward Projects, the Arizona-based restaurant group behind Postino WineCafé, Federal Pizza, Joyride Taco House, Windsor & Churn. A lifelong veteran of the hospitality industry, Ramirez oversees all aspects of menu development, menu creativity and culinary standards for this award-winning collection of neighborhood-focused restaurants. When he’s not in the R&D lab, Ramirez is passionate about working the line, rubbing elbows with his fellow chefs to create innovative, collaborative dishes, and working the dining room to share his refined take on hospitality.
Prior to joining Upward Projects, the Denver born and El Paso raised Ramirez honed his skills in a variety of top local kitchens, including Lon’s at the Hermosa, Latilla at The Boulders, and most recently a decade-plus with Fox Restaurant Concepts. Inspired by his love of both Asian and Italian cuisines, Ramirez is a passionate proponent of high-quality sourcing and from-scratch cooking, providing the perfect cultural alignment with the values championed by Upward Projects locations from Arizona to Colorado, Texas and beyond.
In his spare time, Ramirez, who lives in Phoenix with his wife and their three big dogs, can be found exploring the outdoors, and hiking the mountains of northern Arizona.