NTF: How did you get started in the restaurant business? GARY: I started out in a pizza parlor about 15 years ago. After realizing I loved the kitchen, I checked out many different cooking schools and spoke to a few chefs in Phoenix, where I am from. They gave me the impression that the best education is to jump in and learn from others. So I did an extensive apprenticeship at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel for four years, then I spent a little more than a year traveling the world and working under numerous chefs. I've been at the Coyote Café for about five years expanding my ongoing education from the people I work with daily, especially our owner, Mark Miller and Executive Chef Jeff Drew. Every day proves to be a learning experience for me. It's something I've grown up with and continue to enjoy. NTF: Please describe your restaurant and how turkey fits into the scheme of your operation. GARY: The type of food we do here is modern southwestern cuisine. Primarily it's taking Mexican cooking techniques (with Spanish and Native American influences) and adapting them to our offerings. For example, for a Coyote Café traditional Thanksgiving meal, we might add our spin of the modern southwestern influences. We would put a Cascabel orange glaze on the turkey, do red chili, honey sweet potatoes and add a spicy Chorizo (a sort of tart Spanish sausage with spicy red chile with a lot of chipotle) to the cornbread stuffing. Turkey is a quality, versatile meat that is a cost-effective menu addition. It's popular because it's an item that people can associate with and it offers the feel of a higher-end white meat as opposed to chicken. The Smoked Turkey Picadillo Tostada is also attractive to the health-conscious patron since it is not a typical fried appetizer. NTF: What makes the Smoked Turkey Picadillo Tostada different than other turkey dishes offered in Santa Fe? GARY: Many chefs utilize the turkey breast or medallions because they are simple to prepare. This recipe is a more complex process that takes an underutilized cut of turkey and reaps the benefits of its great qualities. The dark meat on the turkey has a deep and rich flavor. It's also a little more moist and allows for versatile preparation methods, such as being able to brine and smoke it and then still having the ability to sauté it. The legs and thighs also pick up flavors from the foods they are cooked with, allowing you to offer a unique dish. NTF: Explain the creative process in creating the Smoked Turkey Picadillo Tostada recipe. GARY: For this recipe, I borrowed a technique that we often use with other types of meat and adapted it towards turkey. Picadillo is a Spanish-influenced technique that creates a spectrum of flavors in a single dish. One great aspect of the dish is its versatility. For instance, if someone desires a spicier version of the tostada, then I could replace the bell peppers with jalepeno or poblano chiles. I could also increase the spice level by drizzling a little chipotle on the black beans. To counter balance the spice level, we often add raisins or other dried fruit for an interesting "sweet and spicy" taste. This same picadillo mix has a variety of other applications as well, for example, stuffing for tamales, rellenos and burritos. It also lends itself to quick appetizer preparations, such as a topping for mini corn chips.