Heart of New Mexico: Second chance kitchen

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – There is something about food that brings people together. If you ask Ralph Martinez how he met Fernando Ruiz, he’ll say it wasn’t an accident. 

Martinez grew up in Española, a place where he nearly died. He was hopelessly addicted to heroin, and he did whatever it took to get high. 

Until one day a Good Samaritan – and a bunch of narcan – saved his life.

“I came to the acceptance that life isn’t a race,” said Martinez.

In Arizona, Ruiz was coming to his own realizations.

“My hardest part was not to stop doing drugs. My hardest part was to stop selling drugs,” said Ruiz.

But he found his own way and quit pushing drugs. That’s when he started cranking up the heat in a kitchen.

“The job you want when you’re locked up is in the kitchen – in any jail, and or prison, for the simple fact that you get to eat good,” said Ruiz. 

Ruiz took his talent to win three Food Network cooking contests. Now, the two sinners think they’ve crafted a recipe for redemption in Santa Fe. 

At Escondido, the pair cooked up an idea to staff the kitchen – that’s set to open up July 1 – at their new taco joint with people like them. 

Watch the video above for more.