Hugo Ortega

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Chef Hugo Ortega

Hugo Ildefonso Ortega (born 1965)[1] is a Mexican-born American chef, cookbook author[2] and 2017 James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: Southwest.[3]  

Early life and education[edit]

Ortega was born in Mexico City, the oldest in a family of eight children.[1] When he was 10, the family moved to Puebla, Mexico to live with Ortega’s grandmother on her rancho located near the border of Oaxaca.[4]  Ortega learned the fundamentals of Mexican cooking from his mother and grandmother, making everything from scratch.[5] He was also the goat herder for the family.[4] When he was 14, the family returned to Mexico City and Ortega began working at a local factory to help support the family.[6]

After several failed attempts to cross the border, Ortega arrived in Houston in 1984. He began working as a janitor and dishwasher before being left with no work and no home.[7] A friend took Ortega to Backstreet Cafe where he found employment as a dishwasher/busboy.[8]

Vaught, owner of Backstreet Cafe and Prego, offered him a position on the line in the kitchen. He was eventually promoted to the kitchen at Prego,[4] where he worked side-by-side with Executive Chef John Watt.[9]  Vaught helped enroll Ortega in the Culinary Arts program at Houston Community College, from which he graduated in November 1992.[4]

Ortega and Vaught were married in 1994.[10] Ortega became a U.S. citizen in 1996.[11]

Professional career[edit]

Chef and restaurateur[edit]

Under the umbrella of H Town Restaurant Group,[12] which he co-owns with his wife and fellow restaurateur Tracy Vaught,[13] Ortega is executive chef of Backstreet Cafe, Hugo’s, Caracol, Xochi and URBE.[14] He is also a partner in Origen in Oaxaca, Mexico.[15] Ortega also helped create a menu for Mi Almita,[16] a concept opened by Chef Michael Mina in Honolulu in 2018 (now closed).

In 2002, Ortega and Vaught opened Hugo’s restaurant in the Montrose area of Houston, serving Authentic Regional Mexican Cuisine.[17]  In 2013, Ortega and Vaught opened Caracol, a Coastal Mexican Kitchen, in the Galleria area of Houston.[18] In January 2017, H Town Restaurant Group opened Xochi[19] in the Marriott Marquis Houston Downtown.[8] The restaurant opened two weeks before Houston hosted Super Bowl LI,[20] hosting celebrities, celebrity chefs and visitors during the game festivities.

In 2019, Vaught established the Hugo Ortega Endowment Houston Community College’s Culinary Arts Program[21] to support current and future HCC culinary students.  The lobby of the new building is named in Hugo’s honor and features a namesake wall.[22]

Ortega and wife Tracy Vaught opened URBE Street Food of Mexico in 2021,[23] which has recipes from Ortega’s first cookbook Hugo Ortega's Street Food of Mexico.

Ortega has made two guest chef appearances at the James Beard House in New York City[24] (1997 & 1999). He has also hosted three James Beard Foundation events in Houston.[25]

Author[edit]

He is also author of two cookbooks[2] - Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico (2012) and Backstreet Kitchen – Seasonal Recipes from Our Neighborhood Cafe (2013), which recognizes Backstreet Cafe's 30th anniversary.

Media Appearances[edit]

Ortega was featured on the program CBS Sunday Morning: the “Sunday Profile” on the annual “The Food Issue” show (November 19, 2017), spotlighting Ortega’s American Dream journey.[26]

In 2018, Ortega’s namesake restaurant was featured on “The Zimmern List” hosted by American chef, restaurateur, television and radio personality and food critic Andrew Zimmern for having one of the best brunches in the county. [27]

Ortega appeared as a guest judge in Top Chef, judging elimination challenges in episode 1 of Season 19, which was filmed in Houston. [27]

In October 2023, Ortega was highlighted on Qué Delicia: El Sabor de América on ViX.[28]

Current restaurants[edit]

  • Backstreet Cafe (Houston)[29]
  • Hugo’s (Houston)[27]
  • Caracol (Houston)[30]
  • Xochi (Houston)[30]
  • Origen (Oaxaca, Mexico)[31]

Awards[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

  • Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico (2012)[34][better source needed]
  • Backstreet Kitchen – Seasonal Recipes from Our Neighborhood Cafe (2013)[35]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Hugo Ortega and Other Influential Chefs – Latinx Impact on Houston Cuisine". journeys.dartmouth.edu. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  2. ^ a b Shimizu, Karen (2012-07-14). "Six Essential Mexican Cookbooks". Saveur. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  3. ^ "Houston chef Hugo Ortega wins prestigious James Beard Award". 2 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d "Hugo Ortega's journey from dishwasher to renowned chef". ABC13 Houston. 2019-12-05. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  5. ^ Becker, Alexandra (2019-08-05). "Executive chef Hugo Ortego talks Mexican cuisine, buying local and his gratitude to the city of Houston". TMC News. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  6. ^ "The Magic of Mole". elrestaurante.com. 2021-11-11. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  7. ^ "Hugo Ortega's Journey From Dishwasher to Award-Winning Restaurateur - The Atlantic". www.theatlantic.com. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  8. ^ a b Lekan, Alice Levitt, Photographer Brendan (2017-07-17). "From Mexico, With Love: Meet Houston Chef Hugo Ortega - culture: the word on cheese". Culture. Retrieved 2023-09-01.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ "Meet John Watt of Prego". ABC13 Houston. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  10. ^ "Chef Hugo Ortega dishes on his love for Houston".
  11. ^ Video, Eater (2017-12-14). "Watch: Hugo Ortega's Journey From Dishwasher to Head Chef". Eater. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  12. ^ "HTown Restaurant Group | Better Business Bureau® Profile". www.bbb.org. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  13. ^ "Tracy Vaught". H-Town Restaurant Group. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  14. ^ Campbell, Rachel (2020-10-06). "Customer Success Story: Chef Hugo Ortega". Sysco Foodie. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  15. ^ Kearney, Syd (2016-03-10). "H Town Restaurant Group expands (far) south". Chron. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  16. ^ "Mi Almita Cantina brings coastal-style Mexican to Waikiki". Honolulu Magazine. 2018-07-30. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  17. ^ McSwain, Megha (2022-07-29). "Houston's best Mexican restaurant is in a 1930s soda fountain". Chron. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  18. ^ Sandler, Eric (2013-06-06). "Hugo Ortega's New Restaurant Is Called Caracol". Eater Houston. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  19. ^ Morago, Greg (2016-12-15). "Hugo Ortega unveils inspiration for Xochi". Chron. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  20. ^ "Hugo Ortega's new restaurant opens downtown ahead of Super Bowl". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  21. ^ HCC Foundation 2020 Gratitude Report (PDF). p. 5.
  22. ^ "HCC Central names the Chef Hugo Ortega Culinary Lobby in the new Culinary Arts Building – Houston Community College". 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  23. ^ McCarthy, Amy (2021-08-30). "Chef Hugo Ortega's New Uptown Park Restaurant Shines the Spotlight on Mexican Street Food". Eater Houston. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  24. ^ "James Beard House | James Beard Foundation". www.jamesbeard.org. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  25. ^ Pham, Mai. "Recap: Friends of James Beard Benefit Dinner A Showcase of Houston's Best Culinary Talent". Houston Press. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  26. ^ "A Houston chef that's living the dream - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 2017-11-19. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  27. ^ a b c "Hugo Ortega". IMDb. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  28. ^ Univision. "Charbel Kuri revela cómo es que terminó su relación por una nota de Vicente Fernández". Univision (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  29. ^ "Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month With Recipes From Houston's Award-Winning Backstreet Cafe". Cowboys and Indians Magazine. 2023-10-02. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  30. ^ a b Interview with Chef Hugo Ortega from Hugo's, Caracol, and Xochi in Houston, TX, retrieved 2023-10-23
  31. ^ Testimoniales (2018-01-26). "Hugo Ortega, latino indocumentado que logró su imperio gastronómico - Acceso Latino". accesolatino.org. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  32. ^ "The 2017 James Beard Award Winners". www.jamesbeard.org. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  33. ^ "2017 Craig Claiborne Lifetime Achievement Award: Hugo Ortega". 2018-02-20. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  34. ^ "Hugo Ortega's Street Food of Mexico". Goodreads. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  35. ^ June 3, Syd Kearney on; PM, 2015 at 4:29 (2015-06-03). "Backstreet Cafe cookbook earns national recognition". Food Chronicles. Retrieved 2023-10-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

External links[edit]

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