Today we’d like to introduce you to Tony Ortiz

Hi Tony, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?

I fell in love with cooking and storytelling while I was living at my grandparents ranch in Northern California. I had grew up visiting it on the weekends but it wasn’t until I was working in kitchens that I learned to really appreciate what that experience did for me. It helped me understand that food was a powerful source of memory and story. Learning to cook at my grandparents helped me understand my identity and familial history better. From there I worked in kitchens in Northern California and then went to a cooking school in New York City. Right after school I went to a fine dining space where I got more formal training. I went freelance and started cooking at events and for private clients. I also started working within food media spaces such as food styling which helped me understand how to tell story visually. Right now I am producing events in which I utilize food and visuals to tell story, I also work within various sectors of the food media world such as recipe testing and assisting food stylists and video producers.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

Trying to understand what you are passionate about is never smooth. Your dreams and goals today could change within a year or two. There are so many paths to take and the hardest part is jumping onto one. But then you realize time will pass by no matter what. As a culinary artist I always thought my path would be limited to just cooking in kitchens. When I moved to New York is when I realized there were so many facets within the food world. Ones that utilized cooking combined with other mediums like photo, design and writing. The trickiest part for me has been narrowing down what I want to focus on the most. There are many limited beliefs instilled in me that say I need to be good at one thing and master that – but why can’t I be good at many? I don’t think the road is ever smooth. There are many bumps along the way and smooth stretches here and there. It’s always good to realize life moves forward no matter what you choose. There are no wrong paths.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

I am a culinary artist and I specialize in utilizing cooking to tell story. I do many things within the food world. Right now I mostly produce and cater private events. I utilize my skills in cooking, storytelling and food styling and create beautiful intentional events for my clients. When I am not doing events I am assisting iconic food stylists, directors and video producers who also work with food. I test recipes and develop recipes for publications. I think this is what may set me apart. Not only am I good at cooking but I am also trying to better myself in other areas that will help me grow as an artist. I am putting in real work to gain the skill necessary. I am most proud of giving myself the opportunities to grow. Putting myself out there and allowing myself to be in spaces that feel new and challenging.

What do you like and dislike about the city?

This is a tricky questions and I feel like it depends on the season. It’s currently the end of summer and I can say I like our city now more than I have in the past year. It has provided so many opportunities to build and challenged me in ways that almost broke me. It is a tough city to live in, one of the toughest I have ever experienced. It moves fast, which I didn’t like at first when I moved here 4 years ago. I’m realizing the pace is great for figuring out your path and experiencing many different lives within a short period of time. Understanding what works and what doesn’t. I dislike the noise. That is the one thing I cannot deal with.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.chileconmiel.com
• Instagram: chileconmiel

Image Credits

Kelsey Cherry
Isa Zapata
Karen Santos