An edible Local Hero is an exceptional individual, business, or organization making a positive impact on New Mexico’s food systems. These honorees nurture our communities through food, service, and socially and environmentally sustainable business practices. Edible New Mexico readers nominate and vote for their favorite local chefs, growers, artisans, advocates, and other food professionals in two dozen categories. In each issue of edible, we feature interviews with a handful of the winners, allowing us to get better acquainted with them and the important work they do.

Top left, clockwise: Red Tractor Farm, Israel Rivera of The Shop, Marie Yniguez of Bocadillos, M’Tucci’s Market & Deli.

Beverage Artisan
Non-Alcoholic

  • RASA Juice Bar, Santa Fe, 2015
  • Ohori’s Coffee Roasters, Santa Fe, 2016
  • Verde., Santa Fe, 2017
  • Iconik Coffee Roasters, Santa Fe, 2018
  • Humble Coffee, Albuquerque, 2019
  • Little Bear Coffee, Albuquerque, 2020
  • Cutbow Coffee, Albuquerque, 2021
  • Zendo, Albuquerque, 2022
  • Slow Burn, Albuquerque, 2023

Chef

  • Andrew Cooper, Terra at the Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado, Santa Fe, 2015
  • Matt Yohalem, Il Piatto, Santa Fe, 2016
  • Jonathan Perno, Los Poblanos, Albuquerque, 2016
  • Colin Shane, Arroyo Vino, Santa Fe, 2017
  • Carrie Eagle, Farm & Table, Albuquerque, 2017
  • Edgar Beas, Anasazi Restaurant, Santa Fe, 2018
  • Marie Yniguez, Bocadillos Slow Roasted, Albuquerque, 2018
  • Mark Kiffin, The Compound, Santa Fe, 2019
  • Marc Quiñones, MÁS Tapas y Vino, Albuquerque, 2019
  • Steve Riley, Farm & Table, Albuquerque, 2020
  • Nathan Mayes, Paloma, Santa Fe, 2020
  • Sean Sinclair, Bar Castañeda, Las Vegas, 2020
  • Israel Rivera, The Shop Breakfast & Lunch, Albuquerque, 2021
  • Allison Jenkins, Arroyo Vino, Santa Fe, 2021
  • Laura Crucet, Pig & Fig, White Rock, 2021
  • Ray Naranjo, Manko, Greater New Mexico, 2022
  • Dru Ruebush, Radish & Rye, Santa Fe 2022
  • Kelly Torres, Black Bird Saloon, Cerrillos, 2022
  • Jennifer James, Frenchish, Albuquerque, 2023
  • Paulraj Karuppasamy, Santa Fe, 2023
  • Cristina Martinez, De La Tierra Restaurant, Taos, 2023

Restaurant

  • Farm & Table, Albuquerque, 2015
  • Vinaigrette, Albuquerque, 2016
  • Radish & Rye, Santa Fe, 2016
  • Izanami, Santa Fe, 2017
  • Artichoke Cafe, Albuquerque, 2017
  • Rancho de Chimayó, Chimayó, 2017
  • Paper Dosa, Santa Fe, 2018
  • Farina Pizzeria, Albuquerque, 2018
  • The Love Apple, Taos, 2018
  • Campo at Los Poblanos, Albuquerque, 2019
  • Coyote Cafe, Santa Fe, 2019
  • Black Bird Saloon, Cerrillos, 2019
  • Fork & Fig, Albuquerque, 2020
  • The Compound, Santa Fe, 2020
  • The Skillet, Las Vegas, 2020
  • Oni, Albuquerque, 2021
  • Jambo Cafe, Santa Fe, 2021
  • Bar Castañeda, Las Vegas, 2021
  • M’Tucci’s Restaurants, Albuquerque, 2022
  • Paloma, Santa Fe, 2022
  • Blades’ Bistro, Placitas, 2022
  • Mesa Provisions, Albuquerque, 2023
  • Horno Restaurant, Santa Fe, 2023
  • NOSA, Ojo Caliente, 2023

Café

  • Bocadillos Slow Roasted, Albuquerque, 2015
  • RASA Juice Bar, Santa Fe, 2016
  • The Grove Cafe & Market, Albuquerque, 2016
  • Tia Sophia’s, Santa Fe, 2017
  • The Shop Breakfast & Lunch, Albuquerque, 2017
  • Sweetwater Harvest Kitchen, Santa Fe, 2018
  • Tia B’s La Waffleria, Albuquerque, 2018
  • Duran Central Pharmacy, Albuquerque, 2019
  • Dolina Bakery & Cafe, Santa Fe, 2019
  • Indulgence Bakery & Cafe, Las Cruces, 2020
  • Charlie’s Spic & Span, Las Vegas, 2020
  • Farmacy, Albuquerque, 2021
  • Sage Bakehouse, Santa Fe 2021
  • Iconik Coffee Roasters, Santa Fe, 2022
  • Cafecito, Santa Fe, 2023

Food Artisan

  • Sage Bakehouse, Santa Fe, 2015
  • Old Windmill Dairy, Estancia, 2016
  • Heidi’s Raspberry Farm, Albuquerque, 2017
  • Barrio Brinery, Santa Fe, 2018
  • Cacao Santa Fe, Santa Fe, 2019
  • The Burque Bakehouse, Albuquerque, 2020
  • Rude Boy Cookies, Albuquerque, 2021
  • Wild Leaven Bakery, Santa Fe and Taos, 2022
  • NM Prickly Pear Jelly, Albuquerque, 2023

Bakery

  • The Burque Bakehouse, Albuquerque, 2021
  • Planty Sweet, Albuquerque, 2022
  • Los Ranchos Bakery, Albuquerque, 2023

Gastropub

  • Second Street Brewery, Santa Fe, 2015
  • Fire & Hops, Santa Fe, 2016
  • Loyal Hound, Santa Fe, 2017
  • Rowley Farmhouse Ales, Santa Fe, 2018
  • Dr. Field Goods Kitchen, Santa Fe, 2019
  • Steel Bender Brewyard, Albuquerque, 2020
  • Nexus Brewery, Albuquerque, 2021
  • The Skillet, Las Vegas, 2022
  • La Reforma, Albuquerque, 2023

Food Truck

  • Bang Bite, Santa Fe, 2015
  • Street Food Institute, Albuquerque, 2016
  • My Sweet Basil, Albuquerque, 2017
  • El Chile Toreado, Santa Fe, 2018
  • Malaguena’s Latin Tapas, 2019
  • Oni, Albuquerque, 2020
  • Vegos, Albuquerque, 2021
  • Tikka Spice Food Truck, Albuquerque, 2022
  • Root 66 Food Truck, Albuquerque, 2023

Food Shop (Specialty and Grocery)

  • The Farm Shop at Los Poblanos, Albuquerque, 2015
  • La Montañita Co-op, Albuquerque and Santa Fe, 2015
  • Kaune’s Neighborhood Market, Santa Fe, 2016
  • Cheesemongers of Santa Fe, Santa Fe, 2016
  • Santa Fe School of Cooking, Santa Fe, 2017
  • M’Tucci’s Italian Market & Deli, Albuquerque, 2018
  • Talin Market World Food Fare, Albuquerque, 2019
  • PopFizz, Albuquerque, 2020
  • New Mexico Harvest, Albuquerque, 2021
  • tiny grocer ABQ, Albuquerque, 2022
  • The Mouse Hole Cheese Shop, Albuquerque, 2023

Farm/Ranch

  • Camino de Paz School & Farm, Santa Cruz, 2015
  • Red Tractor Farm, Albuquerque, 2016
  • Romero Farms, Alcalde, 2017
  • Green Tractor Farm, La Cienega, 2018
  • Rio Grande Community Farm, Albuquerque, 2018
  • Schwebach Farm, Moriarty, 2018
  • Peculiar Farms, Los Lunas, 2019
  • Silver Leaf Farms, Corrales, 2019
  • Urban Rebel Farms, Santa Fe, 2019
  • Vida Verde Farm, Albuquerque, 2020
  • Revolution Farm, Santa Fe, 2020
  • De Smet Dairy & Creamery, Bosque Farms, 2020
  • Tres Hermanas Farm, Albuquerque, 2021
  • Montoya Orchard, Velarde, 2021
  • Matt’s Mushroom Farm, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, 2022
  • Shepherd’s Lamb, Tierra Amarilla, 2022
  • Reunity Resources Community Farm, Santa Fe, 2023
  • Full Circle Mushrooms, La Mesa, 2023

Wine / Cider

  • Gruet Winery, Albuquerque, 2018
  • Casa Rondeña Winery, Albuquerque, 2019
  • Black Mesa Winery, Velarde, 2020
  • New Mexico Hard Cider, Santa Fe, 2021
  • Vivác Winery, Dixon, 2022
  • Milagro Vineyards, Corrales, 2023

Spotlight Awards

  • Michael Trent (server at Arable), Front of House 2021
  • Gabe Romero (butcher at Campo), Back of House 2021
  • Jose Garcia, Farmworker 2021
  • Kristina Hayden Bustamante (wine director at The Compound), Front of House 2022
  • Djuna Benjamin (production manager at VARA), Back of House 2022
  • Rosa Zamora (manager at Farm & Table), Front of House 2023
  • Jeremy Schmidt (sous chef at Bar Castaneda), Back of House 2023
  • Nery A Martinez (Santa Cruz Farm & Greenhouses) Farmworker 2023

Brewery

  • Marble Brewery, Albuquerque, 2015
  • Santa Fe Brewing Company, Santa Fe, 2017
  • La Cumbre Brewing Co., Albuquerque, 2018
  • Bosque Brewing Co., Albuquerque, 2019
  • Bow & Arrow Brewing Co., Albuquerque, 2020
  • Ex Novo Brewing Company, Albuquerque, 2021
  • Second Street Brewery, Santa Fe, 2022
  • Rowley Farmhouse Ales, Santa Fe, 2023

Spirits

  • Santa Fe Spirits, Santa Fe, 2016
  • Little Toad Creek Brewery & Distillery, Silver City, 2018
  • Still Spirits, Albuquerque, 2019
  • Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery, Santa Fe, 2020
  • Hollow Spirits Distillery, Albuquerque, 2021
  • Safe House Distilling, Albuquerque, 2022
  • As Above So Below, Santa Fe, 2023

Mixologist / Cocktail Program

  • Deborah Fleig, Izanami, Santa Fe, 2015
  • Quinn Stephenson, multiple restaurants, Santa Fe, 2016
  • Natalie Bovis, The Liquid Muse, Santa Fe, 2017
  • Radish & Rye, Santa Fe, 2018
  • The Copper Lounge, Albuquerque, 2019
  • Campo at Los Poblanos, Albuquerque, 2020
  • Still Spirits, Albuquerque, 2021
  • Sam Coca, Bar Castañeda, Las Vegas 2022
  • Happy Accidents, Albuquerque, 2023

Nonprofit

  • Cooking with Kids, Santa Fe, 2015
  • Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute, Santa Fe, 2016
  • Farm to Table, Santa Fe, 2017
  • Kitchen Angels, Santa Fe, 2018
  • Three Sisters Kitchen, Albuquerque, 2019
  • The Food Depot, Santa Fe, 2020
  • Road Runner Food Bank, Albuquerque 2021
  • YouthWorks Social Justice Kitchen, Santa Fe, 2022
  • Food is Free, Albuquerque, 2023

Food Writer

  • Justin de la Rosa, 2015
  • Cheryl Alters Jamison, 2016
  • Sarah Wentzel-Fisher, 2018
  • Briana Olson, 2019

Food Event

  • Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta, Santa Fe, 2018
  • Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown, Santa Fe, 2019
  • 505 Food Fights, Albuquerque, 2020

Innovator

  • Rancho Gallina, Santa Fe, 2019
  • Three Sisters Kitchen, Albuquerque, 2020
  • Farm to Table, Santa Fe, 2021
  • Squash Blossom Local Food (Food Justice), Santa Fe, 2022
  • Sawmill Market (Design), Albuquerque, 2023

Sustainability

  • Downtown Growers’ Market, Albuquerque, 2021
  • The Grove Cafe & Market (Food Waste), Albuquerque, 2022
  • Chispas Farm (Labor Practices), Albuquerque, 2023

Olla Award

  • Lynn Walters, Cooking with Kids, Santa Fe, 2015
  • Michelle Franklin, La Montañita Co-op, 2016
  • Cherie Montoya, Farm & Table, Albuquerque, 2017
  • Jane Stacey, Cooking with Kids, Santa Fe, 2018
  • David Sellers, Street Food Institute, Albuquerque, 2019
  • Lois Ellen Frank, Red Mesa Cuisine, Santa Fe, 2020
  • Micah Roseberry, Farmhouse Bakery and Cafe, Taos, 2021
  • Christina Keibler, New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing Association, Santa Fe, 2022
  • Penny Rembe, Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm, Albuquerque, 2023