GRANTS, N.M. – CLEM’S is a food truck that makes its way across Cibola County, delivering tasty treats to residents. Famous for their ribbon fries, CLEM’S recently won an award for their Green Chile Con Queso Sauce at the 2022 Sky City Chile/Chili Cook Off event. CLEM’S came out on top with two major awards – they won for best green chile in the restaurant category, and they earned the People’s Choice Award.
Getting to this point of countywide recognition was no easy task, before it became “CLEM’S”, the food trailer was a modest burrito undertaking. For three years, owners Clemente Sanchez Jr. and Kat Clemmons would travel around the county selling burritos at various pueblos and villages across Cibola, creating a small following in the process.
Every item they served was fresh, handpicked, and prepared with love. Eventually, the couple received significant support from the community they built. With help, a business plan was developed, but the couple still didn’t have a name for their new business venture. The venture wouldn’t start overnight, however, it would take nearly three years to get off the ground.
The two thought endlessly about the name of their new venture, coming up with many ideas but nothing ever had quite what they wanted. One night, while pondering on the name of their new business, an idea struck like lightning. CLEM’S was born-an artistic mesh of “Clemente” and “Clemmons” brought out the name of this new food trailer that would quickly become a Cibola County favorite.
Every meal served by CLEM’S is made with fresh, handpicked vegetables. The team at CLEM’S handwash each and every item before they use it for a meal, the staff prays over the food they cook during the prep and cooking stage, and they make sure their food is made with love.
“It’s part of our success,” Kat Clemmons said, “It’s the love we put into our food, and we always cook with happy hearts.”
For CLEM’S, the food they make has nothing to do with the money they can earn, “What we really care about,” Sanchez said, “is seeing how happy our customers are when they get their food, what we really care about,” Sanchez said before being joined by Clemmons, “is the smiles!”
Hours of prep work go into a single day’s worth of CLEM’S operations. The food trailer uses 150 pounds of potatoes for every day that they are opened, and about 40-50 pounds of meat goes into their hard work. The hard work does not deter the team at CLEM’S, however, because they feel support from the community that drives their passion for the work.
Outside of Clemente Sanchez Jr. and Kat Clemmons, CLEM’S employs two hard workers: Miranda Straight and Ashlynn Patricio. “[I would like to give] a big thank you to our workers, we appreciate you guys so much,” Sanchez said.
CLEM’S is a team that delivers good food to the people of Cibola County. With the help of their team and the community they built, the food trailer went from burrito stand to an award-winning Cibola County staple.