Executive Chef Cupertino Ortiz
Trained in the kitchens of Mexico’s very finest resorts and a culinary sophisticate well beyond his years, 30-year-old Cupertino Ortiz is Executive Chef at the luxurious Tides Riviera Maya. He is responsible for all operations and menu creation at
La Marea restaurant, as well as room service and special catering events.
Central to Ortiz’s expertise is a colorful flare for Mediterranean cuisine made “healthy and light with the fresh scent of local Mexican ingredients.” Inspired by the robust flavors of Yucatán’s rich culinary heritage, he has shaped The Tides’ celebrated “Yucatecan” menus with atypical dishes of Mexican and Maya origin that deftly “unite taste with culture.” This creative interplay of flavors and techniques has produced a distinctive cuisine unique to Ortiz’s kitchen. Signature dishes include Free-range Chicken Breast with Pipian Mole (an ancient Yucatecan sauce of pumpkin seeds), accompanied by Sweet Potato Puree (another local hero) and Rosemary essence; Heirloom Tomato Carpaccio updated with Seared Sea Scallops, Avocado Pearls (the quintessential Aztecan fruit) and a Jalapeño Vinaigrette.
La Marea authentic Maya dishes explore the flavor potentials of such traditional ingredients as achiote, chiles, pumpkin, fresh lime and chaya - a plant rich in vitamins and minerals and purported to have curative properties. Maya specialties on The Tides Riviera Maya menu include Tikin-Xic Style Pacific Sea Bass marinated in Recaudo Rojo (red achiote paste) and served with a piquant Habanero Sauce; Huarachitos de Cochinita Pibil, a slow-roasted pork dish from Yucatán served with an Habanero Marmalade and Black Beans; and Fresh Borracha Corn Soup enhanced by the zing of Chaya Leaf Dust and the contemporary flavors of Duck Confit. Ortiz has also developed an entire menu of unique specialty ceviches, some served martini-style, including Campechana (seafood cocktail) of Shrimp, Fish, Lobster, Scallops and Clams in Sangrita; and Local Conch Carpaccio with Lemon Confit, Shallots, Lime Juice and Olio Verde.
Ortiz began his culinary career at age 16, gaining pivotal experience and hands-on training as a cook at restaurants in Acapulco, including the sophisticated and critically-acclaimed French-Mexican El Olvido. In 1997, he landed a position at Rosewood’s five-diamond Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos and quickly ascended through a series of positions from Line Cook to Executive Sous Chef in his five years at the property. In 2003, he became Executive Sous Chef at the highly acclaimed, five-star One&Only Palmilla resort, also in Los Cabos, where he stayed for four years under the tutelage of Chef Larbi Dahrouch.
Now at The Tides Riviera Maya, Ortiz intends to take La Marea restaurant to the top of Mexico’s fine dining list. “Through unique and richly flavored dishes enhanced by artful presentation and astute wine pairings, La Marea cuisine will parallel the tastefulness of the restaurant’s ambience and service perfectly. In combination, these details will elevate La Marea dining experience to a truly unforgettable event.”