Twenty-three miles are all that stand between the two bookends of the beef story in this case, but ranchers and chefs are on the same team. One’s days are usually ending when the others are just getting started, so rarely do they meet - that is until they trade places.
“When you come out and see somebody come in and start a process of something beautiful like this CAB, Certified Angus Beef,” said Chef Alan Abryzo, “and he come out and see how we finish and how we care the same way he cares is a lot for us.”
It was a first for the chef, a chance to stand beside the cattle and see where they come from. This time, just down the road.
“To come out and find out the care and the details at the beginning come to make me a little more proud for the things we do because you know there’s a lot of people being involved before even the steak’s getting to our place, to our store, before even cooking it,” Abryzo said, “to know how much all the things have to get through, you know, weather, temperatures, all the different knowledge is just very interesting, very exciting. And I believe after today I’ll come out with a better idea and a little more excited for what I’ve been doing for the last few years.”
Not to mention, the stories he’ll be able to tell to customers.
“We do a lot of different details, a lot of different things for our guests and our customers and all the influence all the information we have today coming in makes us feel more proud for what we do and what I see today,” Abryzo said, “that was the whole cycle of putting a really great steak in front of our guests and that was a great thing to see.”
For his neighboring rancher, it meant an evening under the kitchen lights.
“I mean we take a, we put in long hours at the ranch but these guys put in similar long hours here and take that same commitment to ensuring that it’s a great eating experience for the consumer,” said rancher Chad Ellingson, of St. Anthony, N.D. “And they’re experts at it”
Catching orders, prepping dishes, with a cowboy hat in tow, Ellingson delivered steaks with a smile and story.
“Especially when you’re carrying a high-quality CAB steak and putting it in front of them,” Ellingson said, “you can tell they’re just looking at the steak and taking the first bite that it’s something that, you know as a cattle rancher we can be proud of, because we can tell they’re having a great eating experience.”
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