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Artichoke Café’s David Gaspar de Alba

Chef’s that demand the best look to Polvadera for their chilis.

Red Chilli
Red Chilli

Chefs work long, demanding shifts, often late into the night. But early one Sunday morning in May, Artichoke Café’s new executive chef David Gaspar de Alba arrived promptly at my door, ready to carpool to Polvadera, New Mexico, to help a farmer plant her summer crops. My husband, Seth, also a farmer, handed him a cup of coffee and the three of us piled into my car to make the hour-long trip south. I didn’t really know Gaspar de Alba, but I was already impressed that a chef would want to spend a rare day off working in a field. Over the course of the day, he continued to impress me with his culinary and farm knowledge, skillful cooking, and genuine passion for supporting local food.