Coffee with the Chef: Cesar Sotomayor of Cafe 37 in Ridgewood

Cesar Sotomayor, 38, owes his love of cooking to his Venezuelan roots — as a child in Caracas, his grandmother cooked for 10 family members each day. Sotomayor "grew up in the kitchen."

A few years after his arrival in the United States in 1999, a chance meeting with chef Michael Latour at Burlington Coat Factory in Paramus landed him a spot in Latour’s Ridgewood restaurant, where Sotomayor did menial tasks such as dicing vegetables and sanitizing the kitchen, all while learning the trade.

His five years at Latour, combined with an associate’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from Bergen Community College, landed him in the head chef position at Ridgewood’s Village Green in 2007. During his six-year tenure, he established his own cooking style, and in July 2012, the Hawthorne resident opened Café 37, also in Ridgewood, serving modern American cuisine. The restaurant received 2 1/2 out of 4 stars from The Record in 2012.

Here, Sotomayor talks about Whole Foods, his weakness for ice cream, and how to stay slim when you’re surrounded by food.

Toughest dish to cook at my restaurant: Asian marinated pork riblets ($28), because of the time factor; they marinate in their juices overnight and are braised the next day.

Favorite dish I invented: The Café 37 seafood pot ($35). It used to be made at my house on Sundays when I was growing up. It’s fish and whatever seafood was available, and a roasted tomato/garlic/white wine broth. My grandma would bring the pot to the table and everyone would serve themselves.

Guilty pleasure: Ice cream. We make it homemade, and every time the machine is running, you’ll see me next to it scooping out a portion for myself. We make a coconut ice cream that’s a thing you can’t say no to — it’s in a dessert called golden puff and coconut ice cream with caramelized pineapples ($8).

Favorite local restaurant: Villa de Colombia in Hackensack. I usually get a steak, seafood chowder, or a yuca frita. They’re doing something right; the flavors are always great, the temperatures are where you want them, the service is awesome, and it’s very casual.

Best place to grocery shop in North Jersey: I like Whole Foods. It’s a little pricey, but they always have fresh, organic produce.

My last meal: Paella. It has seafood – which is my favorite thing – and the roasted garlic, rice and white wine make a perfect combination.

How I keep my weight down: I work out like a maniac. I just did 16 miles this afternoon on my bike, and I went right after to a yoga class. Every day I’m doing something — I have to either skateboard or bike or go to the gym or do some hiking. I’m always moving around. If you sit, you rust. And don’t eat after 7 p.m. It’s tough because I’m surrounded by food, but it’s all about discipline.

Presentation is important: Customers eat with their eyes. You want to put a plate in front of them so they will say, ‘This looks amazing.’ You’re a big step ahead before they even taste it.

More info: Café 37, 37 S. Broad St., Ridgewood; 201-857-0437; café-37.com. Appetizers: $12 to $17, entrées $26 to $36.

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