New Mexico chef ambassadors named

The New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) has selected chefs Jordan Isaacson of Las Cruces and Jon Young of Corrales, New Mexico as the second class of the NEW MEXICO—Taste the Tradition Chef Ambassador Program, NMDA said in a news release.

Isaacson and Young replace chefs Rocky Durham and John Hartley, who have served as the first-ever chef ambassadors since the program began in 2018.

Isaacson and Young were selected through a competitive application process and will serve two-year terms advocating for and promoting New Mexico food and agriculture at various events, including the New Mexico State Fair and HomeGrown: A New Mexico Food Show and Gift Market, as well as industry conferences and tradeshows.

“The new chef ambassadors will continue to do an excellent job of promoting New Mexico products,” said NMDA Sec. Jeff Witte. “Jon and Jordan are very talented and bring lots of experience to the program. We look forward to the chefs increasing awareness of New Mexico food and beverages while bringing attention to their personal craft and brand.”

Originally from Barrington, Illinois, Isaacson began his culinary education at the Illinois Institute of Art and completed his degree at the Art Institute of Colorado in Denver. He obtained a bachelor of arts degree in culinary management and graduated magna cum laude.

After culinary school, Isaacson worked at and managed several Denver restaurants and became lead instructor at a culinary school. He later spent a season cooking at a Forbes five-star resort, Magee Homestead, in rural Wyoming.

“Isaacson currently works as the head chef at Grounded Cafe in downtown Las Cruces, where he has created a menu that represents how he likes to cook: plant-forward, technique-driven and house-made,” NMDA said.

Young is a classically trained French and Italian chef with more than 30 years of food service experience, including designing menus and owning several New Mexico restaurants, the news release said.

He currently owns and is the executive chef for a farm-to-table catering business. He also owns a private chef business, for which he sources ingredients from his 1.5-acre farm in Corrales.

A fourth-generation New Mexican, Young’s “knowledge of New Mexican cuisine and culture is extensive and close to his heart,” NMDA said. He “strives to use his vast experience, knowledge and love of New Mexico and its people to create resources for food entrepreneurs by leading a commission to create commissary kitchens for farmers and food providers.”

Visit elevatenmag.com. Previous chef ambassador cooking demonstration videos may be viewed at www.youtube.com/@nmtastethetradition/videos.