Santa Fe restaurant, chef named as finalists for James Beard Awards

Matthew Narvaiz, The Santa Fe New Mexican
·2 min read

Apr. 3—Santa Fe's restaurant scene is living up to its reputation, with a local business and chef named finalists Wednesday for James Beard Awards.

The Compound was nominated as a finalist in the Outstanding Restaurant category, which honors a business that "demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations, while contributing positively to its broader community," the James Beard Foundation says in a news release announcing the finalists.

Mark Kiffin, the Canyon Road restaurant's owner and chef, won the Best Chef Southwest award in 2005. And The Compound, which has a focus on fine dining, recently achieved the AAA Four Diamond rating.

"This is the hardest one to get," Kiffin said of the outstanding restaurant award. "It's the restaurant of all restaurants in the United States. It's the biggest honor you can have compared to Michelin stars, and Michelin stars don't come to New Mexico."

Kiffin's restaurant joins four others — Convenience West in Marfa, Texas; Langbaan in Portland, Ore.; Mixtli in San Antonio, Texas; and Vestige in Ocean Springs, Miss. — as finalists in the outstanding restaurant category.

Santa Fe chef Eduardo Rodriguez, the owner of Zacatlán Restaurant on Aztec Street, was named a finalist for Best Chef Southwest this year. He joins the shortlist with one other New Mexico-based chef, Steve Riley of Mesa Provisions in Albuquerque. The finalists for that award include chefs from Arizona, Nevada and Oklahoma.

The Burque Bakehouse in Albuquerque was named a finalist in the outstanding bakery category.

In addition, Helga Garcia-Garza, executive director of the Albuquerque-based Agri-Cultura Network, is being honored in the James Beard Foundation's 2024 Leadership Awards for her efforts in food security and access.

The foundation said in a statement, "Her work has enabled hundreds of families to access fresh, local produce using SNAP funds. Beyond SNAP expansion, her efforts in community engagement and education around sustainable agriculture practices have empowered both urban and rural farmers, contributing to a more resilient and nutrition-secure food system."

The winners of the restaurant and chef awards will be announced June 10 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.