CNM-Supported Restaurant Wins Small Business of the Year Award

The Original Cocina Azul has been named the 2026 New Mexico Small Business Administration (SBA) Family-Owned Small Business of the Year after 16 years in business.

Founded in 2009 by Frank Barela Sr. and Evelyn Barela, The Original Cocina Azul quickly became a local staple. The business grew from a quaint mom and pop restaurant on Mountain Road NW to a 34-employee operation with a second location in the Northeast Heights. 

Serving New Mexican favorites like blue corn enchiladas, house-made chile, and sopapillas, the Barelas built their business on a tried-and-true model: time-honored family recipes, consistency, and heart. 

The restaurant’s success didn’t come without bumps in the road. When COVID-19 restrictions threatened to shut them down, Barela Sr. contacted the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at CNM for support. Together, he and SBDC Center Director Francisquita Fernandez secured a handful of loans to keep the business going. They were also able to retain all 25 employees.

That same year, the founders’ son Frank Barela Jr. flew to Texas to spend a day in Lay’s corporate test kitchen. Word had gotten out about the Barelas’ Chile Relleno recipe, and everyone wanted a bite. The unique chip flavor hit store shelves nationwide, selling out within weeks in the Southwest region and boosting brand recognition on the national scale. 

Barela Jr. assumed ownership of the business after his father’s passing in 2023. The SBDC at CNM, he said, has been a steady partner through the ups and downs. “It’s been a great resource and is always there for whatever we need.” 

Under Barela Jr.’s guidance, the Mountain Road location has achieved 10-15% year-over-year sales growth, expanded services, and steady reinvestment in its workforce and facilities. The Original Cocina Azul also gives back to the community, donating to local schools, homeless shelters, and nonprofits including the Somos Unidos Foundation, Uturn for Christ, and Los Ojos de la Familia. 

This combination of resilience, leadership, and community commitment is ultimately what earned The Original Cocina Azul the 2026 SBA award, which was presented May 8 at the annual SBA New Mexico Small Business Awards Breakfast.

“Frank Jr.’s leadership, resilience, and dedication to both people and place make him an outstanding representative of America’s family-owned small businesses,” Fernandez wrote in her nomination letter. “He has continued to build on his family’s legacy while navigating challenges with determination and a clear commitment to his employees, customers, and community.”

The SBDC at CNM provides no-cost, confidential business counseling and low-cost training to help entrepreneurs start, grow, and sustain successful businesses. To learn more or connect with an advisor in Bernalillo or Sandoval County, visit the Small Business Development Center website.