La Luna Eatery & Events

05/28/2025

📣 Support Our New Mexican Chef! 👨‍🍳🔥 👉 VOTE HERE: https://favchef.com/2025/robin-valdez
Remember you get a FREE vote daily but we appreciate all cash votes to take us to the NEXT level!
Chef Robin Valdez of Taos Pueblo has made it to the FINAL TWO STAGES of the Favorite Chef Competition — a national contest celebrating culinary excellence and benefiting the James Beard Foundation! 🙌
Let’s bring this title home to New Mexico and uplift Indigenous voices in the kitchen. 🌎💪

05/26/2025

12.6K likes, 739 comments. “This land was not discovered, it was taken. ”

05/24/2025

📣 BIG NEWS! 📣
Chef Robin has made it to the final 2 stages of the Favorite Chef Competition hosted by — benefiting the James Beard Foundation! 🙌🔥
🌽 His cuisine is Indigenous-forward, world cuisine — reimagining familiar plates using decolonized ingredients from North, South & Central America. Rooted in ancestral tradition, created for today’s table.
💥 Now, we need YOU! 💥
Every vote = donation supporting culinary education, food justice & the future of American food culture.
🗳️ Vote + Donate here:
👉 https://favchef.com/2025/robin-valdez

🧾 All contributions are tax-deductible (U.S. federal).
Let’s lift up Indigenous foodways, bold flavor, and powerful storytelling — all on one plate. Help Robin take this across the finish line! 🏁✨

05/24/2025

Chef Robin Reaches Final Stages of Favorite Chef Competition Benefiting the James Beard Foundation
https://favchef.com/2025/robin-valdez
Taos, New Mexico— of Taos Pueblo — Chef Robin has officially advanced to the final two stages of the national Favorite Chef Competition — a prestigious culinary contest hosted by FavoriteChef.com that celebrates culinary excellence while raising funds for the James Beard Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting a more equitable, sustainable, and delicious food future.
Known for his Indigenous-forward, world cuisine, Chef Robin’s dishes reimagine familiar American plates using decolonized ingredients from North, South, and Central America. His approach honors ancestral foodways while making them approachable for today’s diner — a bold culinary vision rooted in tradition, storytelling, and innovation.
“My food is about reclaiming identity and reintroducing ingredients that have nourished generations, long before colonization,” says Chef Robin. “This journey isn’t just about winning — it’s about lifting up communities and celebrating where our food really comes from.”
A Competition with a Cause
The Favorite Chef Competition is more than a title. Every vote helps fund critical work through a partnership with DTCare, a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations made through voting go toward grants for the James Beard Foundation, supporting culinary education, food justice, and sustainability initiatives.
• 36.5% of donations support competition operations
• Up to 13.5% covers processing and prize-related costs
• 1% is retained by DTCare for administration
• The remainder is granted to the Foundation
Donations are tax-deductible under U.S. federal income tax law.
Help Chef Robin Win — and Give Back
With just two stages left, Chef Robin is asking for the support of the community and culinary lovers everywhere. Every donation casts a vote and helps carry his mission to a broader stage.
Vote and donate now at:
https://favchef.com/2025/robin-valdez
Let’s support Indigenous foodways, culinary diversity, and a chef who’s redefining what American cuisine truly looks like.

Media Contact:
Maria Valdez
Owner Operator La Luna @ La Fonda
505-550-1119
LaLunaEatery.com

One chef will win $25k, an advertorial feature in Taste of Home, and a cooking experience with Carla hall.

04/18/2025

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🔥 **A New Dawn for Indigenous Cuisine** 🔥

We’re standing on the edge of something powerful. With **your vote**, we can shine a light on Indigenous food, culture, and the beauty of returning to our roots.

At **La Luna at La Fonda** in **Taos, NM**, we’re leading a **culinary revolution**—crafting every dish **100% from scratch** using only **pre-colonial ingredients** from **North, South, and Central America.**

🌿 **This is more than food—it’s medicine.** 🌿

What began as a way to heal our children through **clean, decolonized cooking** has grown into a mission to **reclaim ancestral knowledge** and share it with the world.

✨ **This is our moment.**
Let’s put Indigenous cuisine in the spotlight—where it belongs.

✅ **Vote free every 24 hours** and help support this movement. Even small donations go a long way.

🍽️ Come experience it yourself:
📍 **La Luna at La Fonda** | 108 S. Plaza, **Taos, NM**
⏰ **Brunch**: Mon–Fri | 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM
⏰ **Dinner**: Thurs–Sat | 5 PM – 9 PM

04/03/2025

🔥 **A New Dawn for Indigenous Cuisine** 🔥

We are standing on the edge of history, and with **your vote**, we can take a bold step forward—not just for ourselves, but for **Indigenous food, culture, and the future of our people.**

It is with **great honor** that we stand side by side with **Chef Justin Pioche**, a visionary chef who is redefining Navajo gastronomy. Together, we represent not only our respective nations but a **movement**—a movement to **reclaim, honor, and elevate** our ancestral knowledge through food.

At **La Luna at La Fonda**, open **six days a week** in **Taos, New Mexico**, we are bringing forward a **culinary revolution**—one where every dish tells the story of a time **before borders, before colonization, before history was rewritten.** We work with the land, crafting meals from **100% native ingredients** from **North, South, and Central America**, prepared in a way that **honors tradition while embracing innovation.**

🌿 **This is more than food—this is healing.** 🌿

What began as a way to nourish our two children, supporting their journey with **autism through clean, decolonized cooking,** has grown into a **mission that touches lives beyond our own.** Food has power—**the power to reconnect, to restore, and to transform.**

And in **Farmington, New Mexico,** Chef Justin Pioche is carrying that same torch. A relentless force in the world of Indigenous cuisine, he is crafting a future where **Navajo culinary traditions take center stage.** We have no doubt he will **one day claim a Michelin star.**

✨ **This is our moment.** This is our chance to put **Indigenous chefs, Indigenous food, and Indigenous excellence** in the spotlight. With **your vote**, we are not just competing—we are **reclaiming our place at the table.**

**Stand with us. Vote for us. Let’s make history—together.**

✅ **You can cast a free vote every 24 hours**—and if you're able, we encourage you to contribute. Even a **small donation goes a long way** in supporting this cause and elevating Indigenous culinary excellence.

🍽️ **Experience the revolution firsthand.** We invite you to join us for **brunch or dinner** at **La Luna at La Fonda**, located at **108 S. Plaza, Taos, NM 87571.**

⏰ **Business Hours:**
🍳 **Brunch:** Monday – Friday | **8:30 AM – 2:30 PM**
🍽️ **Dinner:** Thursday – Saturday | **5:00 PM – 9:00 PM**

Come **taste the history, the culture, and the future** of Indigenous cuisine. 🔥💫

One chef will win $25k, an advertorial feature in Taste of Home, and a cooking experience with Carla hall.

03/12/2025

Hey everyone! Please remember that La Luna at Lafonda is the only vegan restaurant in Taos, so I encourage all my vegan friends to vote for us. Additionally, we are an Indigenous fine dining establishment with a decolonized menu. If you've enjoyed your experience with us, please take a moment to cast your vote. Thank you!

03/10/2025

Monday and Tuesday, 8:30 AM to 4 PM. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 4 PM to 9 PM. We need someone to start this week while we prepare to execute the new menu.

Part-time position available for a sous chef at La Luna at Lafonda. in Taos, New Mexico for30 hours a week, with both day and evening shifts. Candidates must be able to multitask, stand for long...

02/06/2025

By this Thursday at 7 PM, I need to rank at least 15th in order to continue in this competition. Please remember that all your donations go to a school lunch program that helps ensure food security for our children. Any amount you can contribute makes a difference. Additionally, there are free votes you can cast to support me as well.

I’m nearing the end of this competition, and one of the key factors that motivates me to win is the opportunity for a $25,000 sponsorship and mentorship with an entrepreneurial group, as well as a feature in Forbes magazine. Let’s get Taos on the map!

One visionary will be featured in Forbes, receive a one-on-one mentoring session from Daymond John, and take home $25,000.

02/02/2025

01/31/2025

http://entrepreneurofimpact.org/2025/maria-valdez

One visionary will be featured in Forbes, receive a one-on-one mentoring session from Daymond John, and take home $25,000.