There's something about food that brings people together. If you ask Ralph Martinez how he met Fernando Ruiz, he'll tell you it wasn't a coincidence.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – There's something about food that brings people together. If you ask Ralph Martinez how he met Fernando Ruiz, he'll tell you it wasn't a coincidence.
Martinez grew up in Española and almost died there. He was hopelessly addicted to heroin and would do anything to get high.
Until one day, a Good Samaritan and a ton of Narcan saved his life.
“I've come to accept that life is not a competition,” Martinez said.
In Arizona, Lewis had come to his own realization.
“The hardest thing for me was not to stop using drugs. The hardest thing for me was not to stop selling drugs,” Lewis said.
However, he found his way and stopped using drugs. That's when he started turning up the heat in the kitchen.
“The job you want when you're locked up is in the kitchen, just for the simple fact that you can eat good food in any jail or prison,” Lewis said.
Lewis used his talent to win three Food Network cooking competitions. Now, two sinners think they've created a recipe for salvation in Santa Fe.
In Escondido, the two developed an idea with similar people to staff the kitchen of a new taco joint (scheduled to open July 1).
Watch the video above for more details.
