¡Welcome!
My name is Kate Ramos and ¡Hola! Jalapeño is where we celebrate Mexican flavors!
My Mission
My mission is to help you make delicious Mexican food. My recipes always include core Mexican cooking techniques, easy to follow instructions, and traditional ingredients (or good substitutes)—without sacrificing flavor.
Why Me?
I’m a girl from the Midwest who dreamt of being a chef. So after graduating from the University of Missouri I moved to Napa Valley and did just that. While working as a chef at Mustard’s Grill, I fell in love with the most charming Mexican-American man who has now been my husband and best friend for 23 years.
It was my time as a chef at Mustard’s, then later as a pastry chef at Firefly Restaurant in San Francisco, that I fell hard for Mexican cuisine, it’s ingredients, and the beauty, depth and vibrance of Mexican food by learning from my colleagues in the kitchen who taught me their family’s favorite dishes from many different regions in Mexico.
¡Hola! Jalapeño is a true expression of my love for this way of cooking. I am deeply reverent and very respectful of its traditions and its culture and I’m honored to be able to share its beauty with all of you.
As the proud mother of two Mexican-American children, I also feel it is my responsibility to enrich their lives with the flavors of Mexico and so, selfishly, ¡Hola! Jalapeño is also a journal of the recipes they have grown up eating. One I hope they will turn to when they need a bit of home.
My intention when I started this website in 2009 was to create easy Mexican dishes that merge authentic ingredients and flavors with modern preparations; embracing the fresh, healthy, cooking that is at the root of traditional Mexican cuisine.
My Cookbook
My first cookbook, Plant Powered Mexican, puts that on full display with over 70 plant based Mexican-inspired recipes.
I develop all the recipes, shoot all the photography and video and style all the images (also wash all the dishes) for ¡Hola! Jalapeño. Everything here is from my hands and heart to yours.
Featured Press
I have been a Better Homes & Gardens Stylemaker and regular contributor to the magazine for 5 years. My recipes and photographs have been featured in many other publications here in the United States and around the world. Click on the links below to read more!
Keep In Touch!
I always love hearing from you. So feel free to email me at kate@holajalapeno.com or simply hit “reply” when you get your emails. Nothing makes me happier than reading a heartfelt message from wonderful people!
