A native Ilocana, born and raised in the landlocked province of Nueva Vizcaya in Cagayan Valley—Jessamine Marquez Raposas is a Filipina chef based in New York City. Her cooking reflects a diasporic lens rooted in regional sensibilities. When you gather at her table, you meet a culinary perspective shaped by her personal journey, memory, traditions, and the ongoing pursuit of a distinct style. She brings nearly a decade of professional kitchen experience developed with different techniques.

Her background spans Michelin-caliber kitchens, luxury hotel operations, and leadership in independent New York restaurants. Jess has trained under James Beard Award–winning chef Galen Zamarra at Mas (farmhouse), with further experience at Gotham (formerly the Michelin-starred Gotham Bar and Grill), the highly celebrated Llama San, and Sami & Susu, where she progressed from sous chef to chef de cuisine. Her career also includes Mohonk Mountain House and nearly four years at Justine’s on Hudson, affiliated with the renowned Neal Rosenthal Group, where she was part of the opening management team before progressing to lead the restaurant operation. An MBA in Business Management complements her extensive culinary training with a practical understanding of operations and hospitality.

Namnama is her newly founded personal brand rooted in her Ilocana heritage. A word in her native dialect, Namnama represents active resilience and the quiet confidence despite uncertainties. It is her guiding philosophy, carrying a profound cultural and emotional weight that she aims to translate into the possibilities of her cooking.

Advancing the visibility of regional Filipino cuisine is central to her work where food acts as a bridge between culture, history, and community with thoughtful and emotionally authentic representation of Filipino food—and contributing to its growing recognition within American dining—remains a guiding part of her long-term vision.