ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Land of Enchantment is in the spotlight as local chefs show off their homegrown skills in two different nationally televised competitions. Four New Mexican chefs are in the national spotlight at the same time.
When it comes to their experiences they told KRQE News 13 the most important part for each of them was to bring in some New Mexican flavor. “We cooked definitely from our hearts I think as a team we grew, I think as a friendship we grew, and we just got so much closer you than couldn’t even imagine in such a short amount of time,” said Marie Yniguez.
Yniguez, Michael Neu, and Queneesha Meyers can be seen battling it out on Food Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race”. The show was filmed in Alaska making it a first for all of the Albuquerque natives.
While these chefs fought through frigid temps, another New Mexico chef, Marc Quinones, took his skills to “Hell’s Kitchen” to win the chance to become a head chef at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant. “You watch the show, you know you kind of have a plan in your head and then you are there and you realize this is such a massive experience you just can’t compare it to anything,” said Quinones.
Quinones says he went through a pretty intense process to get on the show seeing a psychiatrist and having his heart tested before he was chosen. After filming wrapped up he understood why it all needed to be done, as he went through weeks of tough tests and critiques from Ramsay.
Unfortunately, Quinones was eliminated during the March 11th episode. Both shows are currently still airing so the chefs couldn’t give any spoilers for the episodes that are left.
However, each chef hopes they made New Mexicans proud. If you want to see the New Mexican chefs in action, a new episode of “Hell’s Kitchen” and “The Great Food Truck Race” will air on Thursday, March 18.
