02/08/2016 - The Green Show: Grass Fed Jerky and a Green-minded Chef

The Fancy Food Show in San Francisco always brings us some wonderful new guests as we discover new foods and ingredients.  We were delighted to find Lawless Jerky and you'll enjoy their story.  

Slow Living Radio welcomes two guests to the show today who celebrate the land and it's resources.  Matt Tolnick creator of Lawless Jerky brings us the story behind his creation of a wonderful grass fed beef jerky, and Laura and Brandon Fox, owner of Winery Chefs, talk  embracing the land, the farmers and true seasonality.

Matt Tolnick

Lawless Jerky

Lawless Jerky was founded by attorney Matt Tolnick, who realized that he could bring more smiles to more faces through his jerky than through his lawyering. So Matt bravely left his practice to pursue his passion: crafting small-batch jerky by hand and in powerful and unique Braver Flavors™. Lawless Jerky offers seven world-inspired flavors, including Sweet Sriracha (beef), Aloha Teriyaki (beef), BBQ Spare Rib (pork), Pho (beef), and Japanese Curry (beef). All flavors are thoughtfully handmade with consciously raised meats, including 100% grass-fed beef and hormone-free, antibiotic-free pork.Lawless Jerky is America's Craft Jerky™, proudly made in Arizona, USA.

Over the past 2 years Lawless Jerky has grown from a small apartment kitchen in Santa Monica, CA into a state-of-the-art beef jerky facility in Arizona. Unlike almost all major beef jerky brands, Lawless Jerky’s founder, Matt, still creates every flavor from scratch. And they still make their jerky by hand in micro-batches.

Their secret marinades and proprietary processing methods help give the jerky a flavor that will be well-balanced and last through the chew. You won't find any shiny, sugary coating or strange chewiness; our meat tastes like carefully flavored meat. No added nitrates/nitrites. No added MSG. No corn syrup.

Laura and Brandon Fox

Executive Chef
Winery Chefs Napa Valley

Laura was raised in Italian family in Central Florida that spent every holiday gathered around a big table which was sure to be filled with good food and wine. Following her graduation from Florida State University, Laura returned to her Italian roots traveling to Northern Italy to work with world renowned Chef Carlo Zarri. She later pursued her education at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park in the Hudson Valley where she developed a passion for Artisan products including charcuterie, cheese, and seasonal biodynamic produce. Wanting to continue to grow and surround herself with the best possible ingredients, Laura and her husband Brandon moved West to Northern California. There she trained and worked at such notable restaurants as Chez Panisse, The Restaurant at Meadowood, Ciccio Napa Valley, and The Local Butcher Shop before purchasing Winery Chefs and becoming the Chef and Owner in March 2015.

 

Brandon brings a wealth of experience in operations to the team. Feeling a gentle pull from Laura’s CIA training, the slow food movement growing throughout the Hudson Valley, and his personal love for food and wine, he chose to switch his focus to front-of-the-house restaurant experience. Brandon spent time building his skills at such noteworthy establishments as The Local, expanding his horizons in fine dining and fine wines. Upon arriving in Napa Valley, he continued his pursuit at several area establishments before securing a position with the prestigious Restaurant at Meadowood in 2013. Fascinated by the viniculture of the area, he later pursued an opportunity to gain some first-hand knowledge in wine sales and operations.