There is no place in New Mexico like Bishop's Lodge Ranch Resort and Spa, 450 acres of historic beauty that manages to be both elegant and easygoing. Still, most locals only make the 5-minute drive for Sunday brunch or to sip a cocktail on the Sunset Terrace. But all that's about to change with the hiring of Christopher McLean as executive chef.

McLean was exposed to great cuisine from an early age, traveling with his mother, an actress who toured with Bob Hope. But he didn't catch the food bug until college, when he was studying to become a Russian/Ukrainian translator at a language school in Monterey, Calif.

"I ate a six-course dinner at a restaurant called The Pacific's Edge in Carmel and that changed my life," says McLean. "That place has played a huge role in my career. The Masters of Food and Wine event is held there, and I returned to Carmel each year to attend. I got to work with the top chefs in the country and eventually got a job cooking at The Pacific's Edge."

McLean emphasizes that he is a self-trained chef. He has climbed up through the ranks by studying the lineage of chefs he admires, then showing up at their restaurants with a willingness to work. This was the case when he arrived in Napa Valley and approached Thomas Keller, a self-trained chef of Bouchon and French Laundry fame.

"Keller was definitely a mentor," McLean said. "His main quote in the kitchen was, 'It's all about finesse,' and that has stayed with me. And Richard Reddington (Auberge du Soleil, Redd) was also inspiring, teaching me to be hands-on in the kitchen, there in the trenches, always a part of the team."

Perhaps the most dramatic period in his life as a chef was his time at The Golden Tulip, an upscale hotel/restaurant in Ghana, West Africa. "It was an incredible experience," McLean said. "I was not only working for the hotel, but also assisting with the ministers of health and tourism to modernize hygiene and food safety in the country. I was Ghana's first sommelier, and was catering special events weekly for the likes of the United Nations and NATO, serving dignitaries from around the world. It was an amazing time. I made my apple-barrel dessert for the Princess of Thailand's birthday. I cooked for the president of Ghana, the prime minister of Italy, the president of Switzerland. On the 50th anniversary of Ghana's independence, we put together a buffet for 4,500 people in an outdoor stadium. I even served the queen of Sheba. Yes, there really is a queen of Sheba."

Still, after almost three years on the equator, McLean longed to bring his family back to the U.S. He always had loved Northern New Mexico, and when the opportunity presented itself to work at Bishop's Lodge, McLean was thrilled.

"I'm very excited to come to a kitchen with such good cooks," he said. "This place is a chef's dream — to have an heirloom garden, herbs, greens and century-old fruit trees all on site to use in my dishes. I can even take my family on trail rides. In fact, this summer I'm planning some gourmet cast-iron cookouts."

McLean is creating a "Nuevo Ranchero Cuisine" menu influenced by French, Spanish, Mexican and Native American culinary traditions. He works as much as possible with New Mexico products, even using local beer and wine in his ingredients.

For meat lovers, every Thursday night Las Fuentes hosts Churrasco, a Brazilian cultural extravaganza featuring a taste of South American cuisine, allowing diners to sample 10 types of prime meat carved tableside and one exotic offering, like alligator, ostrich or rattlesnake sausage.

The meal, which runs from 6 to 9 p.m. and includes music, is $31 per person.

McLean likes to offer things that a typical diner might never get to experience, like cavolo nero, a black Tuscan kale that he simmers for hours and serves with honey-and-pecan pork chops. His signature dishes, "Forever Braised Buffalo Short Ribs," "Pistachio Blue Salad" and "Sweet-Corn Crusted Beer-Belly Quail," already are receiving rave reviews. McLean says his goal is "to wow people with properly cooked, unique ingredients."

Judging from the response since he has been at the helm, he is doing just that.


This item was served to the princess of Thailand on her birthday. She was in Ghana on an official visit and wanted something other than birthday cake. The barrel can be filled with any fruit filling of choice.

1 1/4 loaf sliced brioche (any thin-to-medium sliced white bread will suffice)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, blended with the softened butter

36 ounces apple pie filling

12 coffee cups

Preparation: Cut brioche pieces into pinkie-finger-sized rectangles. The pieces should be about the same size as the sides of the coffee cups. Line the bottom of each cup with a thin layer of cinnamon butter. Line the sides of each cup with a 1/4-inch layer of the cinnamon butter. Then, line the sides of the cups with the staves of bread. The bread should be even with the cup's top and tight against the cup's edge. If too long, cut the brioche with scissors.

Pack each cup with apple pie filling. Ensure that each cup
is filled and packed tight. Place the cups on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and well toasted. These can be made as much as two days in advance and reheated
in the oven until the center is hot.

After baking, turn the cup upside down on the plate. Drizzle or decorate the plate with caramel sauce.

Allow the unmolded barrel to set for 2 minutes before topping with a scoop of ice cream.

IF YOU GO - BISHOP’S LODGE RANCH

Location: 1297 Bishops Lodge Road, 819-4035,

Hours: 7 to 10:30 a.m. breakfast, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. lunch and 6 to 9:30 p.m. dinner, seven days a week; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. brunch on Sundays

Contact: www.bishopslodge.com

Northern Enchantment Food and Wine Tasting

When: 7 to 9 p.m. March 26.

Cost: $85 per person, with 100-guest limit

Details: The event features wines from Northern New Mexico wineries and gourmet food pairings by chef Christopher McLean. Participating wineries include Estrella del Norte Winery, Black Mesa Winery, Don Quixote Winery and Distillery, Jacona Valley Vineyards, Vino del Corazón Winery and Santa Fe Vineyards.

Pinot Noir: History and Horizontal Tasting

When: 1 to 2 p.m. March 26.

Details: The event includes a 30- minute class by chef and certified sommelier Christopher McLean with side-by-side tastes from Pinot Noir producers in New Mexico, California, Oregon and France. Three ounces of each wine will be served. Antonieta Matter, director of the award-winning SháNah Spa at Bishop’s Lodge, will serve gourmet ayurvedic bites.

Cost: $28 per person, with 40-guest limit

To RSVP: Reserve a spot for either event until 5 p.m. Tuesday by calling 819-4035.