Meet Your New Neighborhood Chef: Christian Ortiz Of BK9

BK9 is a new contemporary Caribbean restaurant that will be officially opening its doors on Monday, August 31. A business created by nine partners from Brooklyn (hence the name), we recently had the opportunity to sit down with Christian Ortiz, BK9’s executive chef, to discuss an array of subjects: the restaurant’s opening, his background in cooking, and his staff — which he clearly values highly.

PSS: How are you finding the neighborhood?

Christian Ortiz: I love it. I live in Bushwick and sometimes I walk over here to get a better sense of the neighborhood. There’s a duality of those who have lived here for generations and those who have moved here recently. People have been stopping in, telling us that they’ve been waiting for us to be open. And our partners have roots in the neighborhood.

How have the nine partners of BK9 had an influence on the dishes that you will prepare?

Not only do they have roots here, they have roots in many other places — from the West Indies to Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad. We have a thousand years of the spice route to influence us.

Tell us a bit about your background? Did you grow up in a family that cooked amazing dishes?

Well, I’m from New York originally, and my family went out to eat a lot. Each of my parents made one perfect dish. My mom could make an amazing omelette. My dad made a roast chicken as good as Julia Child’s. We ate a lot of interesting things. I remember sharkfin soup and sushi.

My background was originally in engineering, science, and technology.

What did you do when the big change happened to the world of cooking?

I studied a lot. My first school was Le Cordon Bleu, and then CIA [Culinary Institute of America]. I remember getting my first chef’s jacket at Chelsea Market and having to check in my kitchen knives before getting on a plane. But so much experience comes from doing work in the field.

What are some of those lessons?

I was always hungry as far as both food and knowledge was concerned. I learned about using spoons instead of squeeze bottles at Le Bernardin. There was a synchronic level of execution there. Daniel taught me about pastries, precision, and production. You have to cook for your crowd and not for your ego. Because nobody wins. I was in charge of three kitchens when I was the director of catering at the Big Apple Circus. It was the hardest job I ever had to do.

You really ran away to join the circus.

I wanted to have the cleanest kitchen and the most well-dressed staff while building a kitchen out of an 18-wheeler. I enjoyed serving as a mentor. You can never teach drive or motivation. But if someone possesses those two things, who am I to deny them the knowledge?

I’ve heard so often that the restaurant world is a tiring business.

The staff cannot be cognitive or confident after working 14-hour days too many days in a row. They’re thinking about their significant others and not seeing them days at a time. They need time off. The impact of human error is critical. They should have time to enjoy the reward of hard work.

It sounds like you were well-mentored and you want to play that role for the people who work with you.

You’d be surprised at what you can learn from your staff as well. And how they can help you. One time I wanted to make a chapulines (crickets) dish and I had no idea where to get them. The dishwasher turned to me and said, “Want me to call my grandma for you?”

What’s your comfort food? Does it help you get through the wild times of opening?

Slow-cooked eggs on a thick, cracked-pepper bread. I love being in a kitchen. It’s one of my three happy places. The kitchen, spending time with my girlfriend, and being on a farm.

Toward the end of the interview, we asked Ortiz to take a photo for this article. “Sure,” he said, but then headed back to the kitchen area. He gathered the staff together — calling to the others who were downstairs getting ready for the day. “Let’s get everybody up here,” he said. The photo represents the team player aesthetic Ortiz brings to the restaurant.

With spreadsheets to manage, staff to train, and food items to order, this chef doesn’t look like he’s breaking a sweat. And as we were talking, the only interruptions that happened were the greetings he had as his staff came in for the day. If his dishes are as articulate and nuanced as he is, our neighborhood is in for something very special.