It’s all in the family at Chala’s Wood Fire Grill

Frankie Torres, owner and Chef of Chala’s Wood fire Grill,  had a life-long dream to open his own restaurant in his home town of Las Cruces. A year and a half ago, he was able to bring that dream to fruition. Torres  “decided to go to culinary school to gain an education to prepare for business ownership and lived Dallas for four years, and upon returning to Las Cruces, things just fell into place”.

Torres’ love for the kitchen was heavily inspired by his Grandmother, whom the restaurant is named after. Torres fondly remembers enjoying his grandmother’s cooking and observing her methods and recipes. Torres has also adapted some of her recipes into his menu, including her coffee steak marinade.

Torres takes a lot of pride in their food production methods. All of the meats are smoked in house, which include sausage, brisket and turkey breast. The bacon served here is manufactured on site from start to finish. Another exciting fact is that there is no use of the microwave or freezer in the kitchen, which means everything is fresh and made to-order.

Torres has worked hard to create an environment of feeling ‘comfortable’ and at ‘home’ in his Mesilla eatery. He strives to have a staff who are “staff who are pleasant and happy, where personality is the number one factor”. 

Take the trip to Mesilla, and enjoy the amazing food and welcoming environment at Chala’s