Bruce Jones, executive chef at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M., discusses his resort's famed green chile stew cook-off.

As an East Coaster, when I first learned about the chile stew cook-off, a popular activity at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa in New Mexico, I assumed we were talking about that beloved dish of chopped meat, onions, garlic and cayenne pepper. Then I realized this isn't the same chili I like drizzled over a hot dog.

Green chile stew is a traditional New Mexican dish using the large, flavorful New Mexico-grown green chiles, which give the region's cuisine much of its distinctive style. I had no idea there are so many species of chile peppers—five domesticated and 25 known wild species to be exact.

"Chile is a big part of our culture here," says Bruce Jones, executive chef at the Tamaya. "The state question is 'red or green?'"

The Tamaya, meaning "a quiet and special place," is located on 500 acres on the Pueblo of Santa Ana, adjacent to the Sandia Mountains along the Rio Grande River.It also features 350 rooms, several pools, tennis courts, and more than 21,000 square feet of function space and more than 25,000 square feet of outdoor event space.

The resort's culinary team has created a chile stew cook-off program that not only offers a glimpse into the traditional flavors of New Mexico, but builds camaraderie as well.

Each program is completely customized. For one recent group, the teams had to earn "money" by correctly answering questions about the company; the money was then used to buy ingredients.

The experience starts off with a "chile chat" led by a Tamaya chef. The group will learn about different types of chile, the difference between red and green, and other interesting facts about this New Mexican mainstay.

After learning everything chile, the group is divided into teams and given a basic recipe and all of the ingredients and equipment necessary to make a stew. The creations are judged by the Tamaya culinary team based on flavor, presentation, and creativity. Luckily for participants, there is no right or wrong way to make green chile stew, just varied personal preferences, but in any case, this event is sure to heat up the competition among the group.

Originally published Feb. 1, 2010

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