When it became difficult for Keith Allen and Felicia Masias to find acting roles, they created their own Albuquerque-based production company, which has launched a series called “Enchanted Foods of ABQ.”

Sopapilla Productions showcases what the owners call the hidden gems of Albuquerque businesses and their resiliency to survive the pandemic.

“It evolved into this thing where the whole point of the company is to use our platform to try to uplift small businesses, local businesses,” Allen told KRQE. “That’s what we wanted to do with the show and what the mission of our company has become.”

A second series of “Enchanted Foods of ABQ” is in development. The series showcases six restaurants featuring a variety of foods. 

“We went through a long list, but our goal is to find small businesses that were super unique and super delicious,” Allen said.

One featured shop is the Ivy Tearoom near the North Valley, which had to be creative during the pandemic.

 “The first time we had to shut our doors, that was devastating,” Amanda Ng, owner of The Ivy Tearoom told KRQE. “We started selling tea online, we started doing things to go. We did everything that we could to survive at that point. It was honestly the second shutdown, that was the one that really impacted us.”

Ng said it’s helpful for a production company to support homegrown businesses. 

“I think this is such a special way to showcase businesses in a really fun way,” she said.

Sopapilla Productions is partnering with the One Albuquerque Virtual Visionaries program to make the series possible.