Native American Chefs in New Mexico Redefine Food Truck Scene with Indigenous Cuisine

For many Native American communities in New Mexico, food is more than just sustenance - it's a way to connect with their cultural heritage and traditions. And now, a growing number of Native American-owned food trucks are bringing these traditions to the streets, offering a taste of indigenous cuisine to locals and tourists alike.

A report from The Guardian tells us that Native American chefs in Albuquerque, New Mexico, are redefining the food truck scene in the southwest by bringing Indigenous recipes to customers on the road.

Native American-owned food trucks are blazing their own path by driving the sandy highways and backroads of New Mexico to offer Indigenous foods to customers, while Native American-owned restaurants like Owamni and Wahpepah's Kitchen have recently attracted national recognition.

Cuisine Thriving in the Desert

With the state's third-largest Native American population, it's surprising that few of the state's restaurants are actually Native-owned. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the restaurant industry have led many Native chefs to turn to food trucks as a way to launch their own businesses.

These food trucks are providing "four-star dining experiences" for areas that may not otherwise have access to them, according to Dr. Ariel D. Smith, founder and host of The Food Truck Scholar podcast.

One such food truck is Manko, owned by chef Ray Naranjo. Naranjo, from Santa Clara and Odawa, has spent over a decade working as a chef, primarily in Native-run casino kitchens. He started Manko earlier this year and serves typical food truck comfort foods with a Native American twist.

For example, instead of a plain burger, Manko offers a green buffalo chile smash burger, and instead of a regular turkey sandwich, there's a cactus tempura turkey sandwich on the menu.

Naranjo's focus on fusion is key to his goals as a chef, as he explores how Native foods have influenced dishes from around the world and experiments with how those global flavors can create a new Native American fusion. Manko takes its name from the Tewa word for "come and eat."

Booming Culinary Scene

Another food truck, Yapopup, is owned by Ryan Rainbird Taylor and serves Indigenous soul food. Dishes include frybread topped with green chile, beans, and cheese, as well as a buffalo burger with red chile and a side of blue corn fry bread.

The aforementioned The Guardian report tells us that Taylor started cooking special meals for delivery during the early months of the pandemic after his employment at a local resort was affected by the crisis. He saw an opportunity to showcase Indigenous cuisine and started Yapopup, named after the Navajo word for "frybread."

These food trucks are not only bringing Native American cuisine to a wider audience, but they are also helping to preserve and celebrate Indigenous culture. Many of the ingredients used in the dishes are sourced from local farms and tribal communities, ensuring that the food being served is authentic and reflective of the chefs' cultural traditions.