Everything you would hope for - incredible dining and a connection to New Mexicos culture. Highly recommend!!

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! read more

Red Mesa Cuisine - Cooking Classes Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Beyond satisfied with the experience! Lois and Walter cooked for me and 8 friends on my 40th birthday, and it was such a special experience. There was a great front-end education about the origins of all of the food served, ample answers to questions along the way, and even a happy birthday song at the end. Communication from start to finish in the process was excellent, food was flawless, and service was five star/fine dining level great while still retaining a casual, comfortable feel. Honestly, could not recommend more! If you're looking for a perfect way to spend time with friends, commemorate a special event, or just have a great meal with a group, do this. Like now. read more

Lois and Walter provided one of the most memorable evenings for our family that we could have ever experienced! From the initial communication to the end of our private dinner, Lois and Walter were communicative, friendly and extremely accommodating to our group. We had the pleasure of them coming to our rented Airbnb to provide a special 40th birthday celebration for my husband. They catered to the needs of 8 people (including a vegetarian and a toddler) and customized a menu that couldn't be beat. Lois and Walter made an AMAZING 5-course meal, provided an education about the food/region, and left us with nothing but full bellies and memories made. Lois was extremely easy to work with, the food was legitimately one of the BEST dinners any of us have ever had, and we would not hesitate to have them over again the next time we are in Santa Fe. read more

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! read more

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Lois and Walter catered my birthday dinner in Santa Fe in December and it was perfect! The food itself was truly outstanding, and Lois took the time to tell us about each course and the significance of the ingredients throughout the meal. My friends and family all said they had never had such a beautiful meal and continued raving about it all weekend. Lois and Walter went above and beyond and sang me a traditional Native American birthday wish and presented me with a beautiful signed cookbook. Did you know Lois' cookbook won a James Beard Award?!? Start to finish it was a perfect night and I can't want to plan my next party in Santa Fe with Lois! read more

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Lois and Walter were the best part of our trip to Santa Fe - though there were many other good parts. They worked with us on an appropriate format for our family birthday party - taught us how to prepare a beautiful stuffed pepper dish while explaining many things about the region and the origins of our food, and then made the rest of the feast. After our meal they sang our birthday girl some wonderful Native American songs, and talked to us about spirit dolls and the programs they're working on. It was a magical night - full of laughter and tears and richness, and I credit a good chunk of that to their simple joy and authenticity in their skill and craft, and their desire to share it with us. read more

Chef Lois and Walter prepared, cooked and served a memorable and fantastic native inspired private dinner for me and 7 guests at my home in Santa Fe this June. Every dish in this local six-course meal was unique, novel and distinctive---and, needless to say, delicious. In addition to the carefully prepared appetizers, chef's muse, soups, salads, entrees and desserts, Chef Lois provided us with a thought-provoking history and overview of the evolution of the native foods we enjoyed. We also consulted Chef Lois on recommendations for wine pairings with each course of the dinner, all of which were spot on. Chef Lois and Walter did all the work, including a complete and thorough clean-up after the meal, so that my guests could enjoy each other's company and the dinner. It was certainly an event that my guests will remember, and they all came away with a greater appreciation for native and locally grown and prepared food. I would not hesitate to recommend Chef Lois to anyone who wants to combine an outstanding meal with an extra course of local history and knowledge. Thank you Chef Lois! read more

Lois and Walter put together a wonderful dinner to celebrate our two wives' birthdays. Everything about the dinner was absolutely great from planning up front to the experience the night of the dinner. The food was very good, the presentation and service outstanding, and finally the cultural experience was memorable. I would heartily recommend Red Mesa to anyone who is considering a private dinner in Santa Fe! read more

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. read more

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Food for Thought I 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. read more

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.. read more

Red Mesa catered a Native American themed meal for our group of eight women when we met in Santa Fe for a reunion of sorts. This beautiful and delicious dinner was the highlight of our trip. Each course was uniquely prepared and presented. All eight of us photographed all of it. We loved Lois' interesting and very informative presentation explaining the history and significance of each dish. And Walter's drumming of Happy Birthday was the icing on the cake! We all agree that any return trip to Santa Fe will include an evening with Red Mesa. read more