Red Mesa Cuisine

Lois and her team put on a truly incredible evening for me and my girlfriends (15 of us total) during my bachelorette weekend in Santa Fe. They were all so kind and accommodating (especially with our variety of food restrictions). The chili-roasting and tortilla making portion of the evening was such a fun way to start the night. When we moved into the house we were blown away by the beautiful set-up they put together in our rental house - it was like we were in a private restaurant. Each course was insanely delicious and exceeded all my expectations. Everything about the evening was amazing and a unique experience I'll never forget. It was my favorite part of the whole weekend. I HIGHLY recommend Red Mesa Cuisine for any special occasion! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

We had the pleasure of Red Mesa Cuisine coming to our rental home for a bachelorette weekend in Santa Fe. Lois and her team not only served us an incredible meal but taught us about Native American culture in a fun and interesting way that felt very organic and easy. We will definitely use them again if given the opportunity and would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for an interactive and tasty dining experience! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

We had a fantastic dinner with Chef Lois Ellen Frank and Chef Walter Whitewater earlier this year - and in truth, a unique experience, as we savored a Native American dinner and learned about the foods at the same time. Chef Lois worked closely with us on a specialized 5 course dinner for our family of eight.  If you have the opportunity to hire them for a private dinner, you will not be disappointed and you will have a life-time memory for you and all your guests.. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

We had the pleasure of having Lois (and Walter) cook for us this past May for a special family gathering.  Needless to say it was incredible.  We did an extensive search of 'in home chefs' and eventually decided on Red Mesa Cuisine.  Lois's ability to understand the needs of our group, professionalism and responsiveness was second to none.  When the evening of our dinner did arrive we were blown away.  The freshness, presentation and flavor profile were all incredible.  Lois and Walter also have the great ability to communicate with everyone in the group.  She also has extensive knowledge of food science and local culture.  You won't be disappointed.  If I didn't live in Chicago I'd look to hire Lois's services more often.  The food and the dialogue made our evening one for the record books. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Food for ThoughtI signed up for a cooking class with Lois and Walter hoping to add a Native-American meal or two to my recipe collection. I came away with scrumptious recipes and, to my surprise and delight, so much more. I learned new techniques, southwestern flavor profiles, the magic of New Mexican chiles and the history of indigenous cuisines.  I learned how creative chefs can, with imagination and dedication, move traditional dishes in new directions.  Having started cooking late in life, I've taken dozens of  cooking classes, just to "catch up."   Along the way, I've learned what chefs need to do to teach clearly, passionately and well. Louis and Walter are master teachers.What I hadn't anticipated but came to admire, was Red Mesa's ambitious reach. The chefs' imaginative cuisine respectfully blends past and present. They have recorded their discoveries in beautiful books, which I'm reading now for fun and cooking my way through one recipe at a time.  Lois and Walter have taken their knowledge into Native American communities where they mentor young chefs and teach classes in home cooking, culinary history, and health.  They bring that same knowledge out into the wider world, teaching courses in colleges as diverse as Yale and Sante Fe Community college and cities as distant as New York and Moscow.In one delicious afternoon, Lois and Walter introduced me to new recipes, new techniques, new possibilities, shared histories, and new worlds. More...

Reviewed on Yelp