5-Minute Fridays

Patricia Garcia has transformed the cafeteria at Turquoise Trail Charter School, replacing heat-and-serve meals with fresh, scratch-made food kids actually want to eat. With a rotating menu and plenty of variety, she has students—and teachers—coming back for more. In this episode of 5-Minute Fridays, Garcia talks about what it takes to cook real food for hundreds of kids every day and why a better school lunch can make a difference well beyond the cafeteria.

This episode is brought to you by ⁠Quivira Coalition⁠.

Kyle Key, the maker behind ⁠NM ChileJang⁠, is currently the only producer of cottage-style gochujang in the United States. Inspired by a trip to South Korea, Key saw a connection between Korean gochu and New Mexico red chile and began experimenting with traditional fermentation methods. In this episode of 5-Minute Fridays, Key shares how he uses locally grown red chile to create a distinctly New Mexican take on one of South Korea’s mother sauces—and how it has amassed a devoted following among local chefs and chile lovers. 

This episode is brought to you by ⁠Quivira Coalition⁠.

At Vara Winery & Distillery, wine and spirits have more in common than first meets the eye. At VARA, grapes don’t stop at wine—they become the foundation for brandy, vermouth, vodka, and gin. In this episode, distiller Ayisha Mares and CEO Jon Murray talk about how Vara expanded from winemaking into distilling—and how a growing lineup of spirits opened the door to an equally creative cocktail program.

This episode is brought to you by ⁠Quivira Coalition⁠.

At ⁠Mañana Taco⁠, Chef Nathan Mayes brings his Austin roots to Albuquerque with a New Mexico spin on the breakfast taco. Parked alongside Little Bear Coffee in Nob Hill since 2024, the truck turns out house-made flour tortillas filled with local eggs, responsibly sourced meats, and fresh vegetables. In this episode, we talk with Mayes about trading fine dining for a tiny kitchen on wheels, building a loyal following around damn good tacos and salsas, and recently expanding with the addition of a brick-and-mortar location.

This episode is brought to you by ⁠Quivira Coalition⁠.

Chef Kattia Rojas grew up with the flavors of Costa Rica, learning from the food cooked by her mother and grandmother. After starting ⁠Buen Provecho⁠ as a catering and farmers market business, she found a permanent home at El Vado in 2018, where she built a menu around the Costa Rican flavors and ingredients she knows and loves. In this episode of 5-Minute Fridays, we talk with her about the food of her childhood and the dishes she now serves at her restaurant, from casados with ropa vieja and sweet plantains to traditional Costa Rican tamales. 

This episode is brought to you by ⁠Quivira Coalition⁠.