TABLE’s Online Editor Gabe Gomez visits Albuquerque’s Farm & Table for Cherie Montoya’s soulfully sustaining eats.
Farm & Table’s Mission in Albuquerque
The word philanthropy comes from the Ancient Greek philanthropia, meaning “love of humanity.” It often refers to donating money, but its root is simpler: giving to others. Food, one can argue, is one of the purest forms of benevolence.
Twelve years ago, Cherie Montoya worked in fundraising for organizations like the Native American Community Academy, the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation, and the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra. In September 2012, she turned from raising money to raising food.
“Some might think it’s an odd jump from nonprofit to restaurant work,” says Cherie. “But the transition was perfect. Farm & Table is more than a restaurant; we have a farm, grow much of our food, and partner with local farmers, purveyors, and businesses. It’s collaboration and community building—the same values I learned in nonprofits.”
Rooted in Land and Family
Farm & Table exists because Cherie’s father, David Montoya, saved a parcel of land in Albuquerque’s North Valley. He bought it to prevent a housing development, preserving its water rights and history. That land later grew into both a farm and a restaurant.
Next door, the family opened La Parada, an eclectic home-goods and folk-art store set in a 200-year-old adobe building. Cherie helped her mother launch the shop in 2004. “Because I worked in a nonprofit, I hosted free community events there,” she recalls. “The community loved it.”
A conversation with a local farmer sparked the idea to use the land for growing food. Soon after, the concept of Farm & Table—a café dedicated to local sourcing—took root.
Building a Nonprofit-Minded Team
Cherie describes her staff as “like-minded people who are exceptional at their craft.” Executive Chef Jens Peter Smith and Sous Chef Josh Loveless lead the kitchen. Their approach reflects the nonprofit sensibility of collaboration and purpose.
Family meals embody this philosophy. On one visit, the team gathered around Kabocha Squash Ginger Turmeric Stew and chicken wings glazed with cilantro, garlic soy honey, rice, and salad. Preparing and eating together becomes a ritual of connection.
A Place of Intention
At Farm & Table, the link between land and food is deliberate. The space reminds us to act as mindful stewards, caring for resources before passing them on.
Of course, that reflection sometimes yields to the pleasure of the menu. Seasonal dishes—like handmade Cavatelli with Beef and Lamb—draw diners into a sense of completeness they may not have known they needed. For New Mexicans especially, authenticity is not a label but a feeling.
Cherie explains: “If it’s authentic, you don’t have to say it. You feel it. It’s like a Buddhist principle—if you embody it, you are already there. Or like saying I love you without words. It shows in your actions.”
Story by Gabe Gomez
