I first met Matt Romero at the Santa Fe Saturday Farmers' Market. While roasting green chiles grown at his organic farm in Dixon, New Mexico, he kept up a steady, friendly banter about his farm, the chiles, and his background. After growing up in Espanola he spent 23 years in Colorado, learning how to talk like an Anglo (tongue in check with this remark). I assume that is where he spent many years as an executive chef, but he gave it up to farm about 8 years ago. He started out as a small vendor but quickly grew to become one of the largest vendors at the Santa Fe and Los Alamos markets. Matt was also instrumental in helping to get the 4.5 million dollar Santa Fe Farmers' Market started. He highly recommends organic farming, and his farming philosophy is worth reading right here. In the photos below, you can see Matt roasting a large, rotating basket of chiles, a New Mexico staple which is coming into harvest right now, and it's a big deal!! Notice the gloves he's wearing as he handles the hot roasted chiles.
