Tommy Bahama
Palm Desert, CA

interview by MARLLEY GONZALEZ & TREEM HEFF

Tommy Bahama Executive Chef, Hector Ramirez was born in a small town in Mexico. His family moved to California when he was 12 and spent a good amount of his youth in Los Angeles. Working his way up in the restaurant industry, Hector has been cooking up delicious food for 25 years. Coachella Magazine sat down with Chef Hector over island-inspired cuisine and conversation.

Have you always known you wanted to be a chef?
Not really. I mean, I grew up in a different industry, just kind of, you know looking for jobs here and there, but when I got my first restaurant job — Boom! I knew that was it for me. It was back in late 80’s in Santa Monica. I love the way the ingredients come together, and for me, it was the the smell the flavors. The way everything just kind of comes together. When you grab all these ingredients and it tastes great. 

What do we have in front of us, right here?
These are some of our famous desserts. Our Pina Colada Cake, with the toasted coconut white chocolate mousse. Pineapple Crème Brule. This one’s been on our menu since we opened a little over 20 years ago and it’s still our guest favorite. Then we have our Malted Pie with the Oreo cookie crust, dark chocolate mousse.

What is your favorite dish?
I love our salmon. The way we prepare it, just the care that we take into it from getting the fish, cutting it, marinating it for a certain amount of time, and the way we sear it, pair it with different ingredients, different flavors. Salmon, definitely — it’s one of my favorites. It’s velvety and melts in your mouth.

What can guests expect at Tommy Bahama?
Well, it’s our service, our food, but definitely the environment. You know, we’re here in the middle of Palm Desert and when you step into the restaurant, it’s like tropical, it’s relaxing, like you’re on vacation. You order your Mai Tai, and then you order your coconut shrimp and it’s almost like you’re by the beach. So come in and experience the island life at Tommy Bahama.