LOCAL HEROES An edible Local Hero is an exceptional individual, business, or organization making a positive impact on New Mexico's food systems. These honorees nurture our communities through food, service, and socially and environmentally sustainable business practices. Edible New Mexico readers nominate and vote for their favorite local chefs, growers, artisans, advocates, and other food professionals in two dozen categories. (Winners of the Olla and Spotlight Awards are nominated by readers and selected by the edible team.) In each issue of edible, we feature interviews with a handful of the winners, allowing us to get better acquainted with them and the important work they do. Please join us in thanking these Local Heroes for being at the forefront of New Mexico's local food movement.
ROOT 66 FOOD TRUCK FOOD TRUCK
AN INTERVIEW WITH VICTOR FLORES, OWNER Photos by Stephanie Cameron
Adrian Jesus Flores, Victor Jesus Flores, and Adriana Vanessa Flores.
Have you seen their logo? It says, “The beet goes on” and is punctuated with a deep-red beet. The Root 66 Food Truck logo says vegan succinctly. Since 2019, Victor Flores and his family have been using traditional recipes to bring out the flavor in their amazing, unexpected, and always vegan dishes. Born to immigrants in Texas, with family originating 6
edible New Mexico | LATE WINTER 2024
from Chihuahua, Mexico, they have created plant-based versions of classics like tamales and barbecue, seeking to open diners to a world of vegan cuisine that even the most devout meat eater can enjoy. Victor has also worked with various Native and Mexican American communities to educate people on the health and environmental benefits of veganism. He
is the community outreach specialist for the Southwest with the nonprofit Vegan Outreach and a cofounder of Plant Powered Events, and he runs the Vegan Village Pop-Up Market in Albuquerque. With the Root 66 Food Truck, the Flores family seeks to undo stereotypes about plant-based food, serving diverse eaters with their Mexican-inspired vegan dishes.