When I caught up with Executive Chef Richard Padilla in the Fall of 2023, I was visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico, experiencing the mystery of Loretto Chapel, the history of Old Town, and the luxury of the Inn & Spa at Loretto. While I followed him on his Instagram social media channel (@chefrichardpadilla), I took this opportunity to get to know Chef Richard better as a professional chef and family man and discuss his career.
The full interview is here and will be updated as Chef Richard continues his culinary journey.
Albuquerque Career
I first met Chef Richard when he was the Sous Chef at Más – Tapas Y Vino at the Hotel Andaluz in Downtown Albuquerque. I was on a media trip hosted by Visit Albuquerque and accompanied by my husband. The meal was the first Chef Tasting Menu I’d experienced, and Chef Richard presented each dish with flair. I was so impressed with the presentation, from the local artisan plates to the beauty of the food on the plates, that I wanted to know more about it and eat more.
Here’s what our Spanish tapas meal looked like.
After management changes at the Hotel Andaluz, Chef Richard moved to Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town to head up the restaurant at Tableau Flamenco Albuquerque, where he created a four-course menu. He felt ready to advance his career path and lead his team as Executive Chef.
Chef Richard made his mark on the dining experience at Tableau Flamenco, which I missed because they didn’t serve a meal for the Sunday matinee performance that I attended. I realized that only after I confirmed my reservation. The Flamenco dancing was emotional, dynamic, and captivating, nonetheless.
Santa Fe Career
Chef Richard accepted the Executive Chef position at the Inn & Spa at Loretto in the summer of 2023. He received a promotion within the Heritage Family (Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc.), where he could be creative in fine dining in his new role in hospitality management.
Executive Chef Richard Padilla at Inn and Spa at Loretto
The Inn and Spa at Loretto is a renowned boutique hotel in central Old Town Santa Fe. It is celebrated for its unique blend of Southwestern charm and contemporary luxury. The Inn is a AAA Four Diamond resort.
Read about the Inn & Spa at Loretto Review: A Dreamy Stay in the Heart of Santa Fe.
The hotel is near the historic Santa Fe Plaza, next door to the Loretto Chapel, with its famous miraculous staircase and various art galleries, shops, and restaurants. All are within easy walking distance.
The Inn is designed in the traditional Pueblo Revival style, reflecting the region’s rich cultural heritage. The Inn is built on the site of the original Loretto Academy. It’s the most photographed building in New Mexico.
Luminaria Restaurant & Patio
The Inn & Spa at Loretto’s signature restaurant, Luminaria, offers a locally-focused farm-to-table dining experience and seasonal ingredients.
Here’s my Chef’s Tasting Menu at Luminaria.
The patio dining area is especially popular for its beautiful setting, with an outsized view of the Loretto Chapel on the other side of the block wall. It was too chilly to dine outside when I was there in the fall, but I had the best seat inside the dining room with a view of the courtyard and the Loretto Chapel.
The Living Room Lounge
Living Room Lounge, adjacent to the Inn’s lobby, is a cozy spot for cocktails and light fare (small bites designed by Chef Richard), often featuring live entertainment. A guitarist played soft Spanish music during the evening cocktail hour when I was there, which was a delightful accompaniment to muted conversations.
Fine Dining Experiences Reach All Generations
When asked who his target market is, Chef Richard said that fine dining experiences are gaining attraction across all generations, primarily because of social media.
One of the most potent forms of advertisement is still word of mouth, and Chef Richard makes sure to give every guest the best experience with his menu. “That is what people talk about to friends and family,” he said. “My goal is to always be present, greet every table, and attend most events in our communities to promote the organization and [what I do].”
Career Goals
Chef Richard’s long-term vision is to build his portfolio while having the freedom to create unique dining experiences. His eye is on a James Beard Award, and he is pushing himself toward that goal. He appreciates the experienced upper management team he’s had to work with and is learning as much as he can about business development, strategic planning, and operations.
Ultimately, Chef Richard intends to be a Chef Owner in his own restaurant. He’s taking all the experiences and shared knowledge and will use it to reach his goals.
Chef Richard feels he is right where he needs to be in his career. He said it’s a marathon, not a sprint, and he’s enjoying every step of the journey.
Challenges in the Food Service Industry
Chef Richard shared these insights when I asked about his most significant challenges.
Career – “Learning to work with different personalities and being open to making personal adjustments with my approach. I always want a positive and enjoyable work environment for my team and myself.”
Family – “Trying to find the work life balance to be present for my daughter and partner for all the important moments in life. They have always been supportive of my career goals, and I’m thankful my partner makes sure our daughter knows she is loved by both of us.”
Personal – “Finding time to make self-care a priority. It is a goal to be in the gym daily, but some days that’s just not an option. Again, trying to find life balance. Mental health is a big priority and I’m glad it’s being talked about more.”
What’s Hard About the Executive Chef Job
“Working with people from other cultures, backgrounds, and religions is challenging in any environment. Learning to work with people, create a functional and positive work environment that breaks the old-school mentality of a verbally abusive/toxic chef has its challenges and rewards. Especially coming to a new kitchen.”
“There’s growing pains with change. Learning to adopt good human relations into a hectic work environment has been a challenge, for sure.”
The Easiest Part of My Job
“The easiest part of my job is most definitely the guests. I enjoy meeting so many different people and enjoy sharing love and culture through food.”
How COVID Changed the Hospitality Industry
While COVID lockdowns and the pandemic are in the rearview mirror now, I asked Chef Richard about any long-term, lasting changes COVID brought to his work. He explained that the restaurant industry has always had sanitization policies and rules. COVID brought heightened awareness of the importance of handwashing and the spread of germs. In his kitchen, they have always maintained cleanliness and proper food handling—no drastic changes needed implementation.
How Chef Richard Gives Back
Because he’s passionate about sourcing local ingredients, Chef Richard actively attends farmer’s markets, seeking small farm vendors for unique ingredients.
When COVID hit in 2020, and Santa Fe’s National Forest caught fire in 2022, Chef Richard volunteered his time and skills at World Central Kitchen to provide meals for needy families. He also joined Cooking With Kids as a volunteer chef to visit classrooms and give cooking demonstrations to the students. He is “super proud and honored to give back.”
Mentoring and Making a Difference
Chef Richard served as a judge for the New Mexico ProStart program. This two-year program is intended for high school students to learn the culinary and management skills needed for a restaurant and food service career. He said, “We have a younger generation of kids that are getting more involved in the kitchen and finding their passion for food.”
As an Executive Chef, Chef Richard leads a Sous Chef, Banquet Chef, two lead line cooks, and a team of line cooks, prep cooks, and dishwashers. He feels it his duty to teach them as much as he can, to promote as many qualified staff as possible, to give people opportunities, and to give them a purpose and a sense of belonging.
On A Personal Note…
Favorites and Specialties
Chef Richard’s favorite ingredients are anything local. He takes pride in sourcing local ingredients from farmers in New Mexico. From produce to proteins, or using local bakeries and tortilla producers, he implements that into a dish. He loves shopping at farmer’s markets and supporting locals.
New Mexico is known for chiles. Chiles are an important, diverse, and cultural ingredient to Chef Richard. Red or green chiles add great flavors to any dish.
Beef Short Ribs are Chef Richard’s specialty. He braises the ribs in New Mexico Red Chile toasted pods. The chile enhances the beef and adds flavor to the tender meat. He pickles peppers for the dish, adds a potato purée, and feels it’s the perfect bite. He’s right!
Cooking at Home
Chef Richard’s go-to meals are tacos, tostadas, and burritos. He says a simple taco is appreciated after making fine-dining dishes all night. He also loves grilling any steak, chicken, or ribs at home.
When at home and cooking for his family, they keep it simple and usually enjoy making Mexican dishes. His daughter doesn’t care for meat, so they always make a few veggie options for her to enjoy. She loves fresh vegetables, raw or steamed.
Executive Chef Richard Padilla’s Legacy
When I asked Chef Richard about his long-term objectives and leaving a legacy, it came down to family–both blood relatives and his work family. Here’s what he said:
“My long-term objective would be college for my children, then traveling after retirement. My legacy will be my children and investing in their well-being. We want to raise decent human beings that are proud of their parents. God-willing, that would lead to grandchildren and enjoying the fruits of our labor.”
“My legacy, besides my wonderful children, would be my reputation as a kind man with a good heart and a great leader, that I always treated my employees like family and passed down any knowledge to future chefs. That will be better than any chef award I can receive.”
Final Thoughts
Executive Chef Richard Padilla is a dedicated family man who loves his children (daughters, 18 and 3 years old, and 16-year-old son).
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