For the second summer, Cleburne High School culinary arts teacher Isaias Ortiz is on a global quest to seek out the best dishes, recipes and eating establishments.
Following a 42-day trek through Southeast Asia in 2023 — traveling solo — to this year’s exploration of Portugal, Spain and Italy, Ortiz’s mission is to expand his talents as a chef and an educator.
While in Italy, he will take a cooking class focused on pizza and Tiramisu.
“I’ve always wanted to take a cooking class in Italy and have never been to Europe,” Ortiz said. “My parents gave me a pizza oven for Christmas, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to learn how to cook authentic pizza from a master instructor. I’ll also be taking a class to prepare my favorite dessert, which originated in Italy.
“This gives me a head start in experiencing Europe next summer, as I plan to study in Florence in 2025.”
A native of Puerto Rico, who moved to Texas in 2017, Ortiz has brought a global view to cooking since his days as a culinary student at Mansfield ISD’s Ben Barber Innovation Academy. Before he was out of high school, Ortiz had established his talents, skills — and a reputation — as a pastry chef.
He sold his first cake at the age of 15 to the high school librarian, and while still a student, began building his business acumen as the owner of The O Bakery, an at-home business established through the Texas Cottage Food Law.
Ortiz’s passion for cooking, and his quest to learn more, has a direct impact on what he brings to his work with culinary students at CHS.
“I made Thai Fried Rice with my students, and they loved it,” he said. “We did ‘student choice’ the last week of school and that was among the selections. It thrilled me to see I had students impacted by what I had learned during my time in Thailand.”
His stops in Southeast Asia included Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos and Japan, ending in South Korea.
“I just woke up one day and thought, ‘I’m going to do this,’” he said. “I love the Asian cuisine and culture. From fresh food to family, it’s a whole lot like the Hispanic lifestyle. Traveling gives you the opportunity to explore the religion and culture of other countries, and for me, the food scene — especially the food scene. In going by myself, it allowed me to be more open in talking to strangers, fellow travelers and the locals—young people, old people. It was very enriching.”
Ortiz took cooking classes, toured — and sampled — fresh food markets, which is also on his current itinerary.
“In one city in Thailand, you take the train to the market and literally shop between the tracks,” he said. “The market and stalls, which are on wheels, are alongside the tracks, which are used by shoppers. I also went to a wet market, a market on the river. The vendors are on boats, and they float or swim up to you.”
While Ortiz was open to whatever was on the menu, or recommended by the locals, his most adventurous food choice was in Singapore.
“I ate a dumpling filled with Stingray,” he said. “If you didn’t think about it, it tasted just fine. The difference is they know how to cook it. I missed out on a food fest in Cambodia that sold tarantula. I never limited myself to restaurants only — I sought out the places where locals eat. I didn’t want the tourist experience.”
Ortiz dined on Sushi dishes served on conveyor belts in a Japanese restaurant where he also claims to have eaten the best Ramen in his life.
“In Vietnam, I had Egg Coffee,” he said. “I was so afraid it would be ‘eggy,’ but I loved it. It’s actually Vietnamese coffee mixed with condensed milk. The original recipe began as coffee mixed with a concoction of egg yolks, lemon juice and sugar. The mixture is whipped, and in the process, the acid from the lemon juice cooks the egg yolks.”
Ortiz’s cooking class schedule included Vietnam, where he learned to make spring rolls and Pho and is now adept at Korean pancakes, following a class in South Korea. He also enrolled in a session at a cooking school in Thailand where he mastered several dishes.
“I found a restaurant that served fried rice that I loved so much, I went back a second night,” he said. “The owner recognized me from the evening before and came over to speak to me. She was born in Thailand but raised in San Francisco where she had operated a catering company. Once her children were grown, she came back to Thailand and opened a restaurant.
“She invited me back the next day to show me how to make fried rice in her kitchen, using her recipe. Noi is now my ‘Thai Mom.’ We have continued to stay in touch. The next time I go to Thailand, I will be able to stay with her and take more lessons. When she talked about food, her passion for teaching was so noticeable. She inspired me to be a better teacher.”
The certified globe trotter who loves every opportunity to travel, is grateful for all he has learned and excited to pass that knowledge, and his culinary experiences on to students.
“When I take cooking classes, it’s not just for me, but also for my students,” Ortiz said. “I want to be able to bring something new to the kids to expand their cultural inventory. It’s important to me to talk with them about other countries and cultures — because I’m from another culture. I hope to inspire them to try a new dish, even though they think they might not like it. I also hope to inspire them to challenge themselves, which was what I have had to do.
“When I left for the trip to Asia, I was terrified. But it was a true learning experience — it was so much better than I planned or imagined it would be. It forced me to talk to people, and to also be comfortable in my solitude. Those 42 days went by so fast. Through that first trip, I grew as a person and an educator. I’m more confident in talking to others. Five years ago, I would never have imagined doing this.”
Ortiz chronicles the places and faces of his trips on The O Bakery Facebook page and will be doing the same following his current journey. Before his return to school in August, Ortiz has scheduled one final visit to Puerto Rico, to catch up with family and friends — and take a Barista certification course.
'; var element = document.getElementById("sub_message"); element.appendChild(subMessage); console.log("Code Loaded!"); } else { var subMessage = document.createElement('div'); subMessage.id = 'sub-message-top'; subMessage.class = 'panel panel-default'; subMessage.style.backgroundColor = '#eee'; subMessage.style.borderRadius = '5px'; subMessage.style.padding = '10px'; subMessage.style.marginTop = '25px'; subMessage.style.marginBottom = '25px'; subMessage.innerHTML = '
Support local journalism.
Subscribe Today'; var element = document.getElementById("sub_message"); element.appendChild(subMessage); console.log("Code Loaded!"); }}
