Esque Market chef David Swan highlights farm‑to‑table sourcing and downtown business challenges in Bernalillo County

Marcos Gonzales, Bernalillo County executive development officer, interviewed David Swan, chef and co‑owner of Esque Market, in a short Biz Moments segment about doing business in Bernalillo County.

Swan described Esque Market as a cafe‑market on the corner of 5th and Ed, across from the Bernalillo County Building, specializing in breakfast and lunch and emphasizing farm‑to‑table sourcing. “I get my food directly from farmers,” Swan said, and said he also works “with some food hubs…to source my vegetables from small cultural farmers.”

Why it matters: Swan said keeping more food and products local supports the state and local economy, an effort he framed as a response to what he described as a high level of exports from local producers. “We export 96% of what we produce,” Swan said; that figure was presented by Swan during the segment and not independently verified by Bernalillo County in the interview.

Swan also outlined the market’s retail offerings beyond prepared meals: locally made salves and tinctures, textiles and aprons, CBD‑related bath products from a northern‑New Mexico farmer, and a dry‑goods section that includes locally grown red chilies and Anasazi and pinto beans. He said the market aims to showcase “the extreme diversity of our state” and to keep more of that production in state to help the local economy.

On operations, Swan named several practical hurdles for downtown businesses — being off the main cluster of eateries, limited parking and rising costs. “Parking’s a little bit of an issue,” he said, and added that the “true cost of food and labor” is an ongoing challenge for small food businesses.

Advice for new entrants focused on matching service to local customer groups. Swan said businesses should understand downtown’s different demographics rather than expect a single customer profile. He noted that a significant share of his customers are people coming to county offices or the Social Security office to conduct business.

On menu highlights, Swan recommended the market’s No. 3 burrito: “It’s a fried egg. You get your choice of red or green. It’s got a mix of asadero and manchego cheese…with some locally sourced potatoes that come from the Española Valley,” he said, adding that brisket comes from local suppliers such as C4 Ranch, Acoma No. 8 or Chavez Family Farms in Isleta.

Gonzales closed the segment by thanking Swan and encouraging listeners to visit the market.

The segment was a short profile piece and did not include formal actions, votes, or independent verification of production or export statistics mentioned on air.