Settled more than 150 years ago, Bishop’s Lodge is steeped in history and a profound sense of place. As its General Manager, I take special pride in our team’s sensitive restoration and preservation efforts. Authenticity infuses our entire approach, and one extraordinary tribute—both to the diverse native communities that have long made New Mexico their home, as well as to Santa Fe’s deep artistic roots—can be found in our Dining Room. Taking pride of place are four newly restored oil paintings by Warren E. Rollins of Puebloan life from the 1920s.

I’ve created custom ceramics under the Whiskey and Clay line for restaurants in Marfa, Texas to Beverly Hills. But SkyFire at Bishop’s Lodge is the first restaurant in Santa Fe for which I’ve crafted unique pieces. Drawn to Santa Fe by its vibrant arts scene, proximity to nature, and slower pace of life, I moved here a few years ago—so it’s a huge honor to already be a part of such a treasured Santa Fe landmark. (Local friends have shared stories of horseback riding and cherished family holidays at the Lodge, and I hope to create my own memories, too, when it reopens.)

Santa Fe has always had a certain kind of magical hold over me. I have so many memories, with the most amazing being the opening party for Mark Miller’s Coyote Café in the ‘80s—a seminal moment for Southwestern cuisine. A group of us—myself, Mark, Robert del Grande who had Café Annie in Houston at the time, and Stephan Pyles who had just opened up Routh Street Café in Dallas—had started this movement of cooking with indigenous Southwestern ingredients. This was its big moment, when Southwestern cuisine finally got its deserved space in the spotlight.