SAN ANTONIO – Remember the name Arlie Briseno because one day he could be a world renowned chef.
Briseno is a graduating senior at Southside High School senior who was forced to grow up fast as after a terrifying fire.
“I feel like I can put my passion of food and I want people to see that passion,” Briseno said.
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Watching him work in the kitchen and talk about cooking, we could see Briseno loves to create food and loves to make food taste great.
“I get a thrill, I get my experience, I learn; I live and I learn,” Briseno said.
And when we asked where he found his love, he gave credit to one woman.
"I got into cooking by my grandmother, she does everything for me,” Briseno said.
Briseno grew up living with his grandmother here on the South Side, but just a couple years ago, an accident change their lives forever.
“I was in a fire, I was burning brush and I fell into the ditch that was 5 foot deep and the fire consumed me,” Jennifer Perez, Arlie’s grandma said.
Since then, Briseno has stepped up and helped out.
“He’s been wonderful, he’s been taking care of me, he does most of my daily necessities he’s there for me,” Perez said.
“It was rough to be able to know this is a true story and it just gave me more passion to work with him one on one and make him a better cook,” Angel Machado, Southside ISD chef instructor said.
Briseno puts passion into what he loves, whether it’s his family or his food.
His grandmother said on paper, Arlie should be just another number, but because of his determination, he is thriving.
“He shouldn’t be where he’s at and I shouldn’t be where I’m at but we both made it we made it it’s God’s will,” Perez said.
Briseno is graduating and is set to go to culinary school in Austin in the fall. What helps to continue to learn and one day own restaurants around the world.
“I just think about what I want in life I want to be happy I wanna happy family I want to be able to take care of a happy family it’s my goal,” Briseno said.