Chainé opens on Burro Alley in Santa Fe, featuring macarons that feel fresh from France.
Bite Into Authentic Macarons at Chainé in Santa Fe
Macaron maven Chainé Peña takes her name from a three-step ballet turn. The reference fits: her journey through downtown Santa Fe has been a graceful dance. She launched Chainé’s Gourmet Cookies on Water Street in 2019, and the shop quickly became a success. After a brief stop at Santa Fe Village, she ultimately found her newest home on Burro Alley. In many ways, this third location feels perfectly suited to one of the city’s sweetest streets.
“I’m so excited and I’m completely charmed by Burro Alley—it has such a European vibe,” says Peña. She grew up in Santa Fe watching her mother bake cakes shaped like mermaids and bunnies. Now, her new shop highlights her celebrated magnificent macarons, which she first learned to make in Paris and later perfected for Santa Fe’s high elevation. In addition, Chainé offers her popular Piñon Chocolate Chip cookies and, for the first time, decadent cakes by the slice.
A Specialty-Curated Experience
Patrons can relax in Chainé’s welcoming space. At the same time, they can browse beauty products crafted by women-owned businesses while sipping from an enticing menu of elixirs. As Peña explains, her vision is “a specialty-curated experience,” one that combines sweets, style, and moments of self-care.
Flavors with a Twist
Over the years, Peña has built her reputation on imaginative, magnificent macarons. For example, she blends Lemon Lavender, Chimayó Red Chile Chocolate, and Strawberry Rosé, filled with Gruet rosé meringue buttercream and fresh strawberries. Marie Claire even praised her “Southwesternized French macarons,” calling out her churro cookie filled with cinnamon meringue buttercream and dulce de leche.
Even with so many unique flavors, certain favorites rise above the rest. “The most popular cookie, hands down, is the Crème Brûlée,” Peña notes. Meanwhile, seasonal specials like Bizcochito macarons appear from fall through the holidays. “Those are my favorite ones to make,” she adds, “because they use my great-great-grandmother’s bizcochito recipe. The bizcochito is crumbled and folded into a Swiss meringue buttercream, piped into a macaron shell, and finished with homemade dulce de leche.”
Coming Full Circle
Ultimately, Peña’s connection to Burro Alley runs deeper than business. “My grandfather’s father used to run a little convenience store on the corner, where the burger stand is now,” she recalls. Therefore, opening her shop here feels like a return to her roots. “It feels like home.”
While the three-martini lunch never really took root in Santa Fe, the idea of lunching with a purpose thrives. The movers and shakers of the City Different still get together to discuss matters of import while breaking bread. We asked some influential advocates, creatives, volunteers, power brokers and politicos to include us in their conversations about topics important to all New Mexicans.
Lunching Throughout Santa Fe with Changemakers
Who’s Lunching?
Kate Ferlic and Jenna Skinner Scanlan have been friends for more than a decade. Brought together by Kate’s work as an attorney advocating for women’s issues and Jenna’s volunteerism in education and other causes, both are active in gender justice issues. Kate served on the New Mexico Commission on the Status of Women, and as board member and past chair of NewMexicoWomen.org.
Jenna is a teacher, community volunteer, and the current board chair of the Ms. Foundation for Women, which works to build women’s collective power in the US to advance equity and justice for all. The organization celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
The friends chatted over omelets and salmon tartine at Dolina, Santa Fe’s Eastern European-inspired bakery and café known for fresh, simple ingredients and recipes. In fact, Kate brought home chef-owner Anna Marie’s ginger squares as a treat for her family. “I’m Slovenian, and Anna Marie is Slovakian so some of our traditional foods overlap. I love everything Anna Marie bakes,” Kate says.
The setting––a woman-owned restaurant––seemed appropriate to the discussion, which ranged from the fallout of the Supreme Court’s recent decision on abortion, to how New Mexico is a safe haven for women’s reproductive rights, to how coalition-building between organizations is vital to progress in the weighty issues that affect children, women, and others in the state and the nation. As Jenna said when she and Kate parted after the meal, “to be continued…”.
The Caretakers
Juanita Thorne-Connerty, a nurse, and Will Halm, a lawyer, met each other 15 years ago through a charitable event. Both are committed to health care causes, especially as volunteers for Southwest Care’s AID & Comfort Gala benefiting those living with HIV/AIDS. Southwest Care serves patients from all walks of life, including economically, socially, and culturally vulnerable people in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.
Will chose The Compound because, “when you walk through the door, everything feels more significant and elevated,” he says. “There’s a seriousness that imbues your meal and who and what you are talking about and to. You will see politicians, community leaders, arts and cultural leaders there.” Of equal weight for him is the food: at this meal a lobster salad, squash soup, shrimp a la plancha, and a pork loin sandwich. A piece of dense chocolate cake finished the feast.
Bringing the Gala back for 2023 after two years of pandemic cancelations had personal significance for the friends. Juanita lost two siblings to AIDS, and she was one of the first health care professionals in Santa Fe to work with this patient population. Will has set legal precedents in the field of assisted reproduction law, including the first parentage judgment to a same-sex couple in a gestational surrogacy case. His husband is also a physician.
The Gala is important to Santa Fe for three reasons, he says. “First, there are no gay bars, or center, or connectedness among LGBTQ individuals here. Second, there are still those living with HIV/AIDS, regardless of new meds and treatments. And finally, COVID and the pandemic have affected us all, our well-being and how we live and deal with community. The event is a good reminder that living with these and other health issues is forever.”
The Influencers
Amber-Dawn Bear Robe (Siksika Nation), an art historian and creator/curator of Indigenous Fashion Week, met friend, model and Dark Wind’s actress Jessica Matten (Red River Métis and Saulteaux-Cree) at Izanami on a chilly December day.
Both women are Canadian, Indigenous, and strongly committed to helping other Native peoples rise. Amber-Dawn advocates for Indigenous artists and designers.
Jessica expands Indigenous representation and opportunities through her work as president of an Indigenous-owned production company and as co-founder of The Counting Coup Indigenous Film Academy, where emerging and aspiring First Nations, Metis, and Inuit artists can gain expertise and experience in film.
They shared several light dishes, among them izanami-favorite Spicy Cucumber & Avocado Salad; seasonal vegetable fritters with wasabi salt; and the Chirashizushi, a rice bowl topped with a rotating selection of raw fish, cucumbers, wakame, and fresh-grated wasabi root.
Amber-Dawn chose the Japanese restaurant because of its focus on fresh, healthy ingredients prepared simply, knowing it would appeal to Jessica’s clean-eating practices. “We talked about everything we want to do together––bring Indigenous fashion to the mainstream, support others in their art, an upcoming cover shoot for Jessica that I’m styling,” says Amber-Dawn.
“Jessica has great connections in the modeling world, and I always need more Native models. We also talked about other ways we can support each other in what we’re doing in trying to make change through Indigenous representation.”
The Creatives
Austin Evans and Amanda Alexander have known each other since attending high school together in Santa Fe. Amanda is president and creative director of Peyote Bird Designs, founded in 1974 by her father, Mark. This local jewelry house specializes in handcrafted artisan jewelry from and inspired by the American Southwest. Austin, a design consultant, joined his fellow International Folk Art Market Night Market committee member at Tesuque Village Market.
Over chips and dips, tortilla soup, a Southwestern salad, and mocktails, Austin and Amanda shared their experiences as young creatives in Santa Fe, a place they’ve seen evolve over the years. “Especially following COVID, we’ve both seen an influx of more young people.
This exciting energy from new artists, entrepreneurs, and restaurateurs is changing the landscape––in a good way,” Amanda says. “We both feel like there’s a shift happening, especially in the music scene, that’s been stepping up and becoming more a part of the culture. Austin told me he’d recently gone to an underground rave with 300 cool young people he’d never met before.”
Both were excited about the International Folk Art Market’s recent move to the Railyard for the annual July event that draws tens of thousands of attendees and generates significant revenue for more than 150 artists from around the world. “Moving to the Railyard represents a shift where IFAM has heard the community and is trying to become a bigger part of it.
To appeal to a younger demographic, and to more locals who couldn’t necessarily attend before. With this change, the Market will be more accessible, and more sustainable.”
The Politicos
J.D. Bullington had just signed a contract as lobbyist for the City of Santa Fe when he lunched with Mayor Alan Webber and Deputy City Manager Layla Archuletta-Maestas at Santacafé. This venerable Santa Fe restaurant just blocks from City Hall is an iconic spot where politicians, businesspeople, and anyone who wants to see and be seen has been dining for decades.
In addition to salad with Duroc pork dumplings, a club sandwich, and the daily Maggie’s Pasta Special (on this day: Spinach Ravioli stuffed with walnuts and squash in a basil cream sauce), the conversational menu featured selections from the city’s wish list for the 2023 state legislative session.
J.D.’s role was to advocate for funding for 50 city-identified projects, including a new fire station, an upgrade of facilities at SWAN Park on the city’s Southside, and the significant redevelopment of the Midtown campus of the former Santa Fe University of Art and Design.
“I’ve been a lobbyist for 26 years and have lived in Santa Fe for the past 15. It’s not a big city, and everyone in politics knows everyone else. I’m constantly running into people everywhere and that happened this day, too. We were just finishing lunch when another lobbyist and client were seats away. In true form, they stopped to say hello,” J.D. says.
Story by Kelly Koepke Photography by Tira Howard, Gabriella Marks, and Daniel Quat
Cook uses hand-formed sheet metal and car parts, while Diener creates a hand-fabricated piece from treasures she’s collected over the year. Diener’s piece includes parrot feathers, butterfly wings, a hummingbird eggshell and even an olive pit and lingerie fragments.
Pollen Collector Talisman in the Golden Age of the Predator by Kristin Diener
Bowman’s piece speaks to the Southwest in a work formed from rocks found and foraged in New Mexico and arranged on salvaged barn wood.
Nightfall by Marcelle Bowman
And recent MFA grad from UNM, Lana Scholtz creates a work that draws on botanical imagery with a beautifully ethereal quality.
Eternal Necklace by Lana Scholtz
Story by Julia Platt Leonard Photos Courtesy of the Artists
Work is work and everything else is life. Draw a clear line between the two. No checking emails at night or texting co-workers and guard your private life religiously. That’s the goal, isn’t it? But what if private and professional passions intersect and the day job isn’t just a job?
Decorate Your Home with Handcrafted Housewares at Wild Life Santa Fe
That’s happily the case for Shobhan Porter’s team at Wild Life. Wild Life, on the plaza in Santa Fe, sells covetable, handcrafted and artisan wares for the home. Think of a glass by Malfatti (Italian for “misshapen”), so thin you think it might shatter when you pick it up. Made from borosilicate glass––the same material used to make laboratory beakers––it’s delicate yet durable.
Handmade Homewares That Last
Run your finger along the unglazed lip of a set of hand-formed nesting bowls in speckled celadon by ceramicist Laurie Goldstein. Marvel at the work of the artist. Feel the substantial weight of a piece of brushed stainless-steel cutlery from Astier de Villatte in your hand. Know you’re holding something meant to last.
It’s a marriage of nature. It’s untameable, unpredictable, and an utterly one-of-a-kind culture. The homeware is an art and craft that is at the heart of Wild Life. Nature is the inspiration and the hand of the maker lies at its heart.
It’s a refreshing philosophy that flies in the face of mass-produced, throw-away homewares. And it’s one that carries through to the staff who work at Wild Life and its sister stores, Santa Fe Dry Goods and Workshop. “I often say that Dry Goods is more uptown; Workshop is downtown; and Wild Life is out of town,” says owner Shobhan Porter. Wild Life metamorphosed from store to dinner party recently when staff members gathered for an after-hours celebration.
“We’re a pretty tight team, that’s all I can say. There’s a lot of enthusiasm. Everyone loves living in this specific way.” And all share a love of handmade works. “Almost everyone here is an artist in some way, so there is a deeper connection in that vein,” she says.
Celebrating Artistry and Tradition
The food was prepared by Joseph Wrede, head chef and owner of Santa Fe’s iconic Jacob’s Culinary Pub, and was as inspired as the conversation. An egg-yolk yellow porcelain platter from Bertozzi, one of Wild Life’s signature lines, was the perfect choice for Chef Wrede’s salad of bitter greens, shaved fennel, blackberries, razor-thin slices of squash and pink grapefruit segments.
With its wavy, hand-built edge and yellow glazes ranging from buttery yellow to warm sunflower, Bertozzi epitomizes Wild Life’s ethos. The team’s quest for the unexpected is easily noticable. “I think the products are the maker,” Shobhan says. Each Bertozzi piece is handmade and the result of three generations of Italian know-how in the complex world of porcelain and glazing. “Their soul is throughout everything they make.”
“This maker world is available to all of us and this crowd pursues that on their own, so we share that as friends would.” Shobhan says this means passing around newspaper or magazine clippings and late-night texts that read. “You won’t believe what I just found!” Unique products, sourced and sold by a team just as unique. “It’s definitely a cast of characters and I love that.”
Story by Julia Platt Leonard Photography by Tira Howard Styling by Kitty Solon, FORAGED Floral Designs
From the highlands of Venezuela to the Sierra Madre, Debbie Vincent carries her passion for chocolate to Taos. Debbie Vincent grew up in the small Venezuelan mountain town of Mérida. Though surrounded by coffee farms, she always dreamed of chocolate.
Bean-to-Bar at Chokolá Chocolate Café
After moving to Taos for a stint at the Harwood Museum of Art, Vincent devoted herself full time to her passion. This included time for the making of delicious chocolates that remind her of her homeland.
Chokolá sources chocolate ethically and sustainably, following a bean-to-bar philosophy that channels the magic of nature into every bite. Debbie Vincent also collaborates with local artists she met at the Harwood. Together, they design the beautiful packaging, adding another layer of creativity to each treat.
Located just off the Taos Plaza, a visit to Chokolá Chocolate Café is a delicious boost for that post farmers’ market stop. It is also the perfect chocolate treat after shopping at the John Dunn Shops, or an après ski treat. We suggest you try one of Chokolá’s amazing caramels, pictured here in Lavender, Sea Salt, Earl Grey and Rosemary.
The horticulturalists at Los Poblanos, give TABLE readers a magical tour of the verdant, sustainable growing fields tucked around the resort, spa, restaurant, and shop. Along the way, they points out many varieties home gardeners can try this summer.
Trading Rain for Sun to Find New Roots
I’ve had a kitchen garden for years, growing potatoes by the bucketful, green beans that happily spill out of containers, and peppery arugula that nestles in hanging baskets. My London garden is a small slice of green in an urban landscape. Bordered by brick walls on three sides and our house on the fourth, it’s a warm microclimate where temperatures rarely dip below freezing. If water is an issue, it’s too much rather than too little.
I’m trading that for a new garden in Santa Fe where conditions couldn’t be more different. The challenge for me––and any keen gardener in New Mexico––is to create a kitchen garden where water is precious and temperatures dip in the winter and soar in the summer. What should I plant and how can I make my garden thrive?
For help, I turned to the horticulturalists at Los Poblanos, whose passion for plants and Southwestern gardening is infectious. Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm covers 25 acres in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. It features lush lavender fields and formal gardens. About four acres are dedicated to growing food for Campo, their award-winning restaurant. They also grow herbs used in spa treatments and body-care elixirs.
Inside Los Poblanos’ Organic Fields and Heirloom Philosophy
I take a tour of the kitchen and gardens to learn how they collaborate on what they grow. Together, they focus on heirloom and native varieties adapted to withstand heat and drought. You and I might not have room for a beehive or guinea fowl to control garden pests. Still, we can learn a lot from how they garden at Los Poblanos.
In their fields you’ll find Sungold cherry tomatoes, a high-yield, super-sweet variety; deep purple eggplants like the meaty Black Beauty and the slender, paler purple Orient Charm; sweet corn, popping corn, and a variety of indigenous blue corn; and, of course, chiles like the small, spicy Aji Crystal, colorful and compact Chinese Five-Color and the mild poblano; as well as lesser known––and appreciated––plants like amaranth, with its stunning red leaves and plumes.
Not only does amaranth add architectural elegance to the garden, you can eat both leaves and seeds. Campo Head Chef and New Mexico native Chris Bethoney suggests sautéing the leaves like chard. “Sometimes we’ll take the leaf because it’s such a beautiful red and imprint it on a tortilla or tamale,” he adds.
If you’re eager to grow fruit, Los Poblanos recommends peach varieties like Contender or Hale-Haven. They also suggest Jonathan apples, sour cherries, or Moorpark apricots with their pink-tinged blossoms. Or try your hand at unfamiliar fruits like the Jujube (also known as Chinese date) which thrives in a warm, dry climate and can tolerate cold winters. It’s a great pollinator plant and is super-xeric so won’t need frequent watering. (Chris has used the fruits in a pecan shortbread recipe and is experimenting with poaching them in a simple syrup.)
Cultivating with Care
As with most gardens, the best results start with the soil. “Here in the desert, we always have to add organic material.” Home composting is one of the best things you can do and it doesn’t have to be a complex or expensive system. You can start with plastic garbage cans with secure lids and holes punched in the bottoms for drainage.
Start with dry leaves and pine needles in the base then add potato peelings, vegetable scraps and coffee grounds––almost any plant-based waste. You can even add charcoal from a fire pit, which “sweetens the soil,” I am told. Install a drip irrigation system rather than overhead watering.
The idea with drip irrigation is that you might water for an hour very slowly and deeply,” the gardeners say. Water at night when there is less ground evaporation and the roots have a chance to absorb the water. And never leave soil uncovered. “Bare soil is the enemy of any desert garden.” Cover with several inches of compost and top with a layer of barley straw. While cardoons flourish at Los Poblanos, their relative—the artichoke—is much more finicky. Both belong to the Cynara genus.
“Mother Nature is in charge, we’re not.” The gardeners plants borage, an edible flower with periwinkle blue blossoms, alongside tomatoes to deter sphinx moths. “Could be an old wives’ tale but it seems to work,” they say. Dahlias can do double duty as a cut flower and ingredient, the petals becoming an edible, citrus-inflected cup for small, ripe strawberries. Nasturtium leaves have a peppery, wasabi-like flavor, while the edible pods can be stored in salt and used like capers.
A Desert Gardener’s Mantra for Success
Choose plants that earn their place in your garden. One example is Cota (Thelesperma megapotamicum), also known as Navajo, Zuni, Hopi, or Indian tea. A member of the aster family, it has bright yellow flowers and is used to make a delicious (and medicinal) herbal tea and also as a dye plant. “Why not have kale in the beds with your shade trees or perennial flowers?” Why not indeed. “Maybe food is all over the yard?”
As we finish up our tour, the gardeners point out a tasting basket full of fresh produce the team picked that day. It’s a simple way to show visitors what’s in season and what’s on the menu that night. Think Chris’s pasta made with tomato leaves and topped with sautéed tomatoes, eggplant, garlic, and herbs—everything fresh from the garden.
We end our tour at the Campo bar with cocktails made from Los Poblanos’ two new botanical gins. They’re crafted in the New Western style, not the traditional London Dry. That means juniper is less dominant, providing plenty of room for other aromatic plants to shine.
The move into making gin is a natural since they’ve been growing and distilling botanicals for their Los Poblanos beauty range for over two decades. But most importantly, how do the gins taste? The Western Dry gin is smooth and complex, distilled with 16 botanicals from the farm. Ingredients include piñon, rose, hawthorn, and chamomile.
The Los Poblanos Lavender Gin is distilled with four different lavender varietals and from the first sip feels like a drinkable walk through their lavender fields. Both are quaffable treats. As we lift our glasses and toast my new garden, I ask for any last words of advice. The team responds that it’s pretty basic: “Work with nature, never against it.”
With over 300 restaurants in Santa Fe and Albuquerque alone, choosing where to dine can be a challenge. In New Mexico, residents and visitors alike are spoiled for choice with everything from a quick bite from a food truck to fancy white-tablecloth dining. But what about the hidden gems where we might find the best burritos, carne adovada, flakiest pastries, or the must-have dinner? We asked four New Mexico chefs where they go when they’re not behind the stove–and what their favorite dishes are.
A 35-year resident of Santa Fe, Chef James Campbell Caruso of La Boca and Taberna says his secret breakfast spot is Ramblin’ Café, a family business tucked away in a tiny strip mall on Second Street. “The carne adovada and eggs is my go-to order. And their red chile is happening.”
Caruso also frequents Clafoutis and Mille, both French hot-spots with stellar pastry selections. He admits, “When I am at Clafoutis, I want to eat all the pastries, so I buy some and share with my staff. I also love their quiche. At Mille, I love the crepes—every type—and the Croque Madame. Mille also has sensational pastries that pair beautifully with their great coffee.”
Pastries at Mille.
Early Morning Go-To’s with Chef Marc Quinones
When Executive Chef Marc Quinones of Hotel Chaco’s Level 5 goes out for breakfast, it’s always Vic’s Daily Cafe. “Chef and owner Victor Pandazis is the real deal and everything on his menu is mouthwateringly delicious! My go to is El Vaquero—a huge portion of hand-battered chicken-fried Steak smothered with red chile and cheese.”
Albuquerque’s Chef Jennifer James of frenchish isn’t much on breakfast, “But If I’m up early on the weekend, I’ll go to Burque Bakehouse and get a coffee. Their kouign Amann are caramelized crunchy goodness or a canelé is a practice in precision and a deep, dark complement to my coffee.”
Croissants at Mille.
Midday Munching with Chef Jennifer James
James segued quickly toward lunch. “If I am out and about on a Monday or Tuesday and need a tasty lunch, I go to Duran’s downtown or Duran’s Station or Oni. At Duran’s, I always get the Carne Adovada Burrito. Smothered. No onions. Oni is also chef owned and -driven, and I order anything on the menu. The ramens and the tartare are not to be missed.”
On the rare occasion that a chef gets to escape dinner service and enjoy a luxurious dinner out, the chefs in each city were in agreement about where they head. In Albuquerque, Mesa Provisions tops the list, where Steve Riley holds court with his seasonal menu. James said, “I’ll order almost the whole menu because you can’t go wrong.” Quinones concurred and said, “Steve is my favorite chef right now. His Smoked Half Chicken hits the spot for me every time!”
Mesa Provisions. Photo by Gabriella Marks.
Santa Fe chefs Caruso and Weiss called out Horno as their top dinner haunt. Caruso said, “Horno is across the street from my restaurant, but also what I believe to be the best restaurant in town. There aren’t many chefs who care as much as Dave does.” With a nod, Weiss added, “It doesn’t matter what mood you are in and what you want to eat, you will be satisfied. The dumplings with the coconut broth, that is a definite yes! Any version of his hangar steak is also a definite yes, as are the pork belly skewers.”
A perfect food day is never complete without dessert and Weiss recommends Neko Nekoat the Sawmill Market. She said, “The ice cream cone is warm and crunchy on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside. Their flavors are crazy exciting—from the pandan to the yuzu, but the watermelon is my favorite. You can add toppings like Fruity Pebbles, condensed milk, mochi. It’s fun and it’s not something you see anywhere else in New Mexico.”
Chef Kathleen Crook executes Prime Steak Tartare with precision, turning it into a timeless steakhouse favorite. She combines fresh, finely chopped beef with tangy Dijon, brandy, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and just enough heat from hot sauce. Shallots, gherkin, and parsley add crunch and brightness. It is served cold, with the dish being a testament to letting quality ingredients speak for themselves.
The Art of Tartare
It is traditionally made from finely chopped or ground raw beef. The chefs season tartare with a variety of flavor-enhancing ingredients like mustard, herbs, onions, and capers. They carefully balance each component to highlight the meat’s natural flavor while adding depth and complexity. Tartare is as much about technique as taste. Proper chopping, seasoning, and chilling are key to achieving the perfect texture and flavor. Served cold and often accompanied by toast or crackers, it’s a dish that embodies refinement, restraint, and culinary artistry.
Chef Kathleen Crook’s recipe for Prime Steak Tartare is a master class in restraint and a valuable reminder that the best ingredients are best handled simply. Her dish is a classic, beautifully executed interpretation of a perennial steakhouse favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
1 shallot, minced
2 tsp ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 dashes hot sauce
2 tsp brandy
1 gherkin, minced
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley
Sea salt as needed
3 oz beef filet
Instructions
Mix all ingredients together. Toss with the meat and serve cold.
Story by Chef Kathleen Cook Photography by Doug Merriamand Gabriella Marks
James Beard Award–winner Chef Fernando Olea transforms halibut into a work of art with his Salsa Culiché. A velvety sauce built on smoky pasilla and árbol chiles, bright orange juice, and rich butter. Paired with sautéed vegetables, sesame seeds, and vibrant garnishes, the dish strikes a perfect balance of heat, sweetness, and depth. Each bite is a celebration of Mexican flavors brought to life in a way that feels both refined and inviting.
The Prestige of a James Beard Award
The James Beard Award is one of the highest honors in the culinary world, recognizing chefs who embody creativity, excellence, and cultural richness. Winning it places a chef among an elite circle of culinary innovators shaping how we experience food. Chef Fernando Olea’s Halibut in Salsa Culiché is a reflection of that achievement—delicate fish elevated with bold Mexican flavors, a dish that tells a story of tradition, artistry, and modern flair.
James Beard Award–winner Chef Fernando Olea’s Halibut in Salsa Culiché layers delicate fish with bold, lesser-known Mexican flavors that unite into something entirely new.
Ingredients
Scale
For the salsa culiché:
3 oz chile pasilla
3 oz chile de árbol
1 qt orange juice
3 oz onion
1 ½ oz garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 lb butter
1 tsp salt
1–2 tbsp sugar
For the halibut:
Light olive oil
6 halibut fillets , 6-8 oz each
For the vegetables:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tbsp butter
1 head cauliflower
1/2 red or yellow onion
2 bell peppers, any color
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the salsa culiché:
Toast to blacken the chilies in a dry skillet. Place the chilies and orange juice in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 10-12 minutes. While chilies are simmering, in a separate pan sauté the onion and garlic in the oil and butter until tender. Place the onion-spice mixture and the chilies in a blender with all the cooking liquid and puree. Blend until silky-smooth consistency. Return the sauce to the pan and stir 20-25 minutes. Whisk it smooth, and taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking, adding salt, sugar, and heat (chile de árbol). The sauce can be stored for a week in the fridge or frozen for later use.
For the halibut:
In a medium pan, pour light olive oil, tilting the pan to spread evenly. Warm over high heat until smoking, then add halibut fillets. Cook until seared, about 3-4 minutes; turn and sear another side, about 3-4 more minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until centers of fillets are just opaque, 2-4 minutes more on each side depending on thickness,
For the vegetables:
The only other thing to know is to add hard vegetables (cauliflower) to the skillet first and softer vegetables (onions and bell peppers) to the skillet last, so they can all achieve a similar level of doneness.
To plate:
Place the sauce on a plate and sprinkle sesame seeds over sauce. Place fish and vegetables on top of sauce and garnish as desired with edible flowers or microgreens if flowers are unavailable. Serve with a spoon to scoop the delicious sauce!
Story by Chef Fernando Olea Photography by Doug Merriam
Khmer cuisine may not be a household name yet, but its flavors are unforgettable. Chef Nath transforms a simple salmon fillet into a dish alive with Southeast Asian brightness and depth. Lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, and turmeric form an aromatic, vibrant marinade. Garlic, shallots, and chili bring irresistible heat and savor. The Wild-Caught Alaskan Salmon is pan-fried or broiled until just cooked, then served with rice, vegetables, and fresh sprouts. The result is a meal that feels both comforting and adventurous. Take one bite, and you’ll see why this tradition deserves a place at your table.
The Pure Flavor of Wild-Caught Alaskan Salmon
Wild-Caught Alaskan Salmon is more than a beautiful piece of fish—it symbolizes pristine waters, sustainable fishing, and unmatched flavor. Firm yet tender, rich in omega-3s, and naturally vibrant, it shines whether grilled, pan-seared, or paired with bold marinades like Chef Nath’s. Unlike farmed salmon, wild-caught varieties deliver a clean ocean taste and pure freshness. They pair effortlessly with herbs, citrus, and spices. Each fillet reflects Alaska’s rugged coastlines and the care behind bringing one of nature’s finest ingredients to your table.
While Khmer cuisine may not be as well-known as other Southeast Asian traditions, it contains a multitude of intriguing flavors and combinations. Chef Nath’s recipe for Wild-Caught Alaskan Salmon blooms with colors and aromas. Its unexpected notes of lemongrass, lime leaves, turmeric, and more, launch you on a remarkable journey. You’ll want to linger where it takes you.
Ingredients
Scale
3 stalks lemongrass, thinly sliced (use only the bottom 3 inches of the stalk)
½-inch piece galangal (blue ginger), peeled and finely chopped
10 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced with the hard center ribs removed
4 oz turmeric, chopped
12 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 shallots, finely chopped
Chili flakes or fresh chilies
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 spoonful palm or coconut sugar
4 6-oz salmon fillets, skin-on
Sesame oil
Sprouts
Instructions
For the marinade:
First, pound or blend together the lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, and turmeric.
Then, put garlic, shallots, chili flakes, salt, and sugar together and pound with pestle (can also be done with robot coupe machine) until the mixture forms a thick paste.
For the salmon:
Marinate the salmon with lemongrass paste and sesame oil (or your preferred oil) for 30 minutes.
Pan-fry or broil salmon until just done.
Serve with white or brown rice, sautéed vegetables, and sprouts.
