The Culinary Journey of Joaquin Ortiz

A couple years back,  Joaquin Ortiz—the man behind both the exquisite South Miami café, cultural hub, and talent incubator Tea & Poets as well as Jealous Fork, the Tamiami home of award-winning artisanal pancakes and gourmet burgers—began posting short, vlog-style reviews of local culinary gems and small, undiscovered restaurants on Instagram.

People seemed to enjoy it, but when a friend told him he should start a standalone YouTube channel and post longer videos, Ortiz demurred. “My first response was ‘No,’” Ortiz says. “I told him straight up: I’m not a foodie influencer, and I have no interest in becoming one.” His issue? An online foodie influencer culture that overcooks the sensationalism while undercooking what Ortiz calls “authentic, genuine, educational perspectives.”

Still, Ortiz couldn’t quite shake the idea. After all, isn’t it more important to offer an alternative than surrender? And what about the responsibility to pay it forward as he had with his innovative nonprofit Conscious Acts of Kindness? And then there was the effect his own mentors had on his life to consider. “I was fortunate to have incredible teachers and mentors along the way,” Ortiz says. “I don’t think I’d be honoring them and my love for learning and education if I didn’t pass that on.” 

What if? What if he could create a channel centered on “telling thought-provoking stories and inviting the audience into a life lived with curiosity, adventure, and an open heart?” What if he could explore “great food and culture, without losing integrity or curiosity along the way”?

And this, friends, is how Keeno’s Quest was born—a channel that is as informative and educational as it is authentic and fun, marrying Ortiz’ own effervescent personality and big-hearted charisma to a wry realness reminiscent of Anthony Bourdain. 

The late author, television documentary host, and anti-celebrity chef is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a massive influence on Ortiz. “When I was in culinary school at Johnson & Wales in North Miami, [Bourdain’s] Kitchen Confidential was required reading, and that book truly changed my life,” he says. “It opened the door to a whole world for me, one that led me to other influential books like The Devil in the Kitchen by Marco Pierre White and Heat by Bill Buford. Those stories weren’t polished or pretty; they were wild, gritty, honest, and raw. They gave me a glimpse into the world of restaurants I was stepping into.”  

Ortiz is currently writing an autobiography with, he promises, “no shortage of crazy stories” from the kitchen trenches. “Those moments aren’t just shock value; they’re part of the real, unfiltered world behind hospitality,” he says. “And that raw honesty, that humanity, is something Anthony Bourdain gave us permission to explore. That spirit is very much alive in Keeno’s Quest.”

Pulling Back the Veil 

Ortiz sees demystifying food and cuisine as a huge part of his mission. “I genuinely believe that when people better understand what they’re eating, how it’s made, why it works, or why it doesn’t,” he says, “they’re empowered to make better choices.” A recent episode drove that home for him. “I tasted several of the top items from some of the most popular fast-food chains in the country,” he explains. “It was a difficult episode to film, especially considering I hadn’t eaten fast food in over 25 years. What surprised me most was the overall quality of the food was extremely poor across the board, yet the most successful fast-food chain in the country stood out—not because it was great, but because its quality and attention to detail were simply better than the rest. That contrast said a lot.”

“My hope is to help viewers become more aware, more discerning, and ultimately more intentional about what they eat,” Ortiz continues. “If Keeno’s Quest can encourage even small shifts toward better dietary choices and healthier lives, then I’m doing exactly what I set out to do.”

As for the future, yes, Ortiz wants to grow his credibility as a host, a storyteller, an industry vet with a voice, along with the Keeno’s Quest viewership. But Ortiz is candid about his desire to build Keeno’s Quest to a point where it could serve as his primary source of income. 

“The reality is, the restaurant industry is incredibly demanding,” Ortiz says. “You don’t see many happy, healthy 50-plus-year-old restaurant operators. I want to be intentional about building this channel in a way that can eventually replace the long, physically taxing hours I’m still putting in the restaurant.”

This reassessment of priorities and legacy is understandable considering Ortiz and his wife Karina last year welcomed a son, Keyenne, into the family fold. 

“Becoming a parent has definitely given Keeno’s Quest deeper meaning and greater purpose,” Ortiz says. “On some level, I know I’m creating something that will outlive me. Keeno’s Quest has become a kind of time capsule: a place where my son, and hopefully future generations, can login and learn about who their father or grandfather was, what he cared about, and how he lived life with an open heart full of curiosity and with an ambitious sense of adventure. No matter how successful the channel becomes, that aspect alone makes it worth doing.”

For more information, visit keenosquest.com