Los Poblanos is a destination, and a living story of New Mexico; a pocket of treasure. It’s a place where the scent of lavender drifts on the breeze from rows of purple fields, and the desert light shines bright on edible gardens growing. The guest experience is as rooted in the land as it is in the culture. At Campo, the property’s field-to-fork restaurant, that spirit is translated to the kitchen, where seasonal harvests and regional flavors create a dining experience that connects person to plate. The chefs are taught to relish in the beauty of seasonal flavors and cherish the changing of palates that come with them.
Christopher Bethoney is the Executive Chef at Campo, where harvesting the fruits of the land and catering to the seasons is rooted in Bethoney’s philosophy as a chef. “[The food] Definitely needs to be of this place,” Bethoney said. “It is supporting the local community and what they're producing and then creating delicious food from humble things.”
Bethoney claims that you won’t find anything too showy on the menu at Campo, because their ingredients speak for themselves. Each ingredient comes with a story of local origin and has a background connected to the culture, a terroir to the land perhaps. “Something that I teach the cooks early on in their time here is for them to think about three things,” Bethoney said. “The first one is local, the second one is seasonal, and the third one is meaningful. So if they look through those lenses, it should end up being ‘of this place’ and be meaningful in some way to this area that we're in, the Rio Grande Valley.”
The menu at Campo is curated by the surroundings, and each element has an intention that connects it to the land. “The ingredients and producers, the farmers, those people are making the menu more than we are,” Bethoney said. “It starts with what they're bringing us first, and then it's up to us to problem solve and figure out how to best showcase it on the menu, and make good food with the products you're given.”
Bethoney is as likely to be found in the fields as in the kitchen, sometimes still in his chef whites, harvesting mulberries, spreading mulch or picking tomatoes. That spirit of immersion extends to guests as well, through La Vida Generosa, or ‘the generous life,’ an all-encompassing package designed to showcase the very best of Los Poblanos. It invites visitors to experience everything the property has to offer: dining at Campo, staying at the historic inn, relaxing with spa and wellness offerings such as yoga, and exploring La Quinta, the estate’s cultural heart that now hosts weddings, events, and long-table dinners.
Campo is a dreamy desert oasis that doesn’t just draw from the land but gives back to it, working in harmony with the elements. It’s a place to reconnect with the rhythms of the seasons and savor flavors that embody the true local essence of New Mexico.
Campo is located at 4803 Rio Grande Blvd. NW,Los Ranchos de Albuquerque.
Their phone number is 855.486.1380 and their website is https://lospoblanos.com.
The food definitely needs to be of this place.
Campo is a dreamy desert oasis that doesn’t just draw from the land but gives back to it, working in harmony with the elements.