Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tony Ortiz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Tony, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I learned to cook by working for people I admired within the culinary and creative industry. I connected with people doing great work within food, storytelling and cultural preservation. I looked at folks doing things I admired and offered hands. As a kid I had also been immersed in ancestral cooking practices at my grandparents ranch which nurtured my passion. I observed how my grandparents cooked and talked about food. It was and is an act of preservation.

Knowing what I do now I think I would have taken the leap into food at a younger age. The skills I think were most essential were the ones it took for me to get myself into spaces where I learned the most. The ability to communicate to people that I admired their work and wanted to learn from them. Communicating genuine interest in someones work and having the humility to ask for guidance.

A huge obstacle for me in pursuing a formal education in food was the lack of resources. It was not until I had 4 years in kitchens that I was able to finally attend Culinary school and receive formal training. Before school I felt that I was limited to the culinary point of view that had been passed down to me from others. It was hard for me to creatively think for myself.

Tony, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a second generation Queer Chicano born and raised in Northern California between the urban city and rural country. I have roots in Zacatecas and Chihuahua Mexico.

Much of my work is centered around bringing ancestral practices and energy into the future. Processing traditional food and cultural practices through the lens of a queer second generation Mexican American. I cook food that holds story and memories but I cook it in a way that gives it new life and meaning. I take my experience in Californian kitchens from Cambodian to French fine dining and cook food that tells the story of who I am and where I come from.

Chile Con Miel is a platform that was created during the peak of shelter in place – April 2020. I relocated from Oakland California to my grandparents ranch in the sierra nevada foothills. I moved onto their land with the intention of learning as much as I could about the culinary and agricultural practices woven throughout our family history. During that time I collected the oral history of my grandparents lives. What life was like in the country side of Mexico and what it was like immigrating to California. It was crucial in the formation of my core identity. It solidified much of what my mission is creatively.

I create with intention. Not so much to replicate the practices of my ancestors but to express my own identity and what that evolutionary process looks like. I use my experiences throughout each stage of life to fuel my art. Much of my work is centered in fantasy but it is backed up by the technical skills and experience I have gained on my journey thus far.

I use my skills to execute my clients visions for events and food. I write about food and culture in a style that is unapologetically myself. I am entering the food production world and beginning to learn about the art of food styling and writing.

I do not follow trends – I think that it is important for artists to produce work that is authentic to who they are. Do what you love and what you feel is right for yourself and everything else will fall into place.

What sets me apart from a large majority of chefs is cooking food that tells a story. Cooking food with the intention of it meaning something. Learning to execute a dish is easy – giving that dish meaning and translating it to your guest without having to say much is completely different.

The services I currently offer are: producing culinary events, catering, private cheffing and consulting, food styling and recipe developing.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think entering the workforce as a creative takes fearlessness. Their is a passion behind being a creative that one cant really explain. Being a creative – I’d say a good one at least, takes the ability to look inward at the parts of yourself that extremely hard to uncover. It takes work that oftentimes isn’t pretty or convenient. Take time to understand what makes you who you are. When you strip your identity of your career and the mask you wear in public, who are you left with? If this is something you find difficult to do it may be the first step into tapping into yourself creatively.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I have had to learn is the importance of learning. Experience is everything. Working for people you admire and putting in the work first is priceless.

I have been in situations where I wanted to fast track life. Jump to the end without actually doing the work. I have learned that respecting myself and my personal journey is giving myself the opportunity to learn and be a student. To focus on honing my skills and craft rather than the popular “fake it till you make it” mentality.

Contact Info:

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

Image Credits
Isa Zapata, Kelsey Cherry, Eva Cruz, Carolina Salazar