“This is the first time we are doing the Farm to Table experience as part of our Culinary Arts Program,” Brett said. “It’s been way, way beyond my expectations — fantastic. The people in the valley have been welcoming. The farmers have just been amazing with their willingness to teach the students; to take time out from their busy day and show them how their operations work. The students have been really thrilled to experience food in a whole different way. Just to see the work that goes into growing it. The love that goes into growing it. It’s just been fabulous.”
The students participating in this six month school have a variety of backgrounds. Nate Weir has 10 years of experience in restaurant managing, service and bartending. This was his first time experiencing what it is like to be on a farm. “Just seeing where the food comes from gives us so much respect for it. We’ve gotten to harvest wild birds too, and it’s just been a very intense experience because of that. There have also been some really poignant moments just seeing all the hard work and passion it takes to get food to where we are used to seeing it,” he said.
Weir grew up in Haiti. His parents were missionaries. He lived in Philadelphia and Ohio prior to moving to Colorado at the end of June. He readily admits he loves it here.
His goal is to have his own restaurant. He has degrees in business, marketing and management. For the last couple of years, his passion has been cooking. The culinary school is rounding out his knowledge.
Chef Michael Scott and Chef Adam Dulye are instructors at the school. Chef Scott was born in Casper, Wyo., and grew up in Denver. This past week was his first time in the North Fork Valley. “It’s really amazing,” he offered. “I’m learning as much as they are. This is the first time I’ve ever done anything like this. I can teach the culinary part of it, the methodology behind cooking, but I don’t know the farming aspect like the people up here do. Bringing the students here has been a great education for myself, and showing them the connection between the farms and the kitchen.”
The experience has taught them how to pick the right ingredients at their peak flavor. “You can’t just pick up the phone and order exactly what you want. You have to go to the farm and find out what they have available and what is at their peak. I think one of the biggest things we have learned is a farmer knows when the peak product is. If they want to wait a day because the flavor is going to be better and at its peak, that’s what they try to do. That is what they try to instill in us, the chefs. It’s something that we don’t know. To realize that even a day is going to make that much difference in a product is amazing. And for us to bring that to our customers and guests is something that is very unique, and you don’t find it with any other kind of cooking.”
The students have sampled a number of farms, ranches and wineries in the North Fork Valley. They stayed at Scenic Mesa Ranch and prepared nightly dinners from what they harvested daily. They worked with Chef Yvon Gros at Leroux Creek Inn and Winery to learn how to prepare fresh buffalo meat. For dinner one night they prepared sautéed buffalo liver with caramelized onions, kidneys with a mustard cream sauce, and grilled buffalo chuck steak. They also learned about wine making with Chef Gros.

Chef Kelly Steinmetz of the Flying Fork Bakery and Café showed them it is possible to have a restaurant and to make it work. The food he serves has a distinct quality because he uses local ingredients.
They visited Zephyros Farm and Garden, High Wire Ranch, Abundant Life, TLC and the Living Farm, and Terror Creek Winery.

In addition to understanding where their fruits and vegetables come from, the young chefs experienced where their meat comes from. They participated in a bison kill on High Wire Ranch and a lamb kill at Zephyros.

“Some people had a little bit of a hard time, but I think it is really important that people start to realize where the food comes from instead of a Styrofoam container in the supermarket. That it is really about the animals living on the farm and being in their natural environment and utilizing them in that way,” Chef Scott explained.

“I talked to the students last night, and I told them I don’t think I have ever said ‘thank you’ so much in my entire career, especially to people I am getting product from. Usually you just sign the bill and they leave out the back door. Here you look at them in their face. They hand the product to you. And you are just thanking them for such a beautiful bounty of product, vegetables and fruits. We are extremely lucky to have that.”
Joan Brett said the students seemed transformed by their farm to table experience. The students who came here will graduate in December. It will be a year before the culinary school brings another group of chefs to the North Fork Valley.

“Things are happening all over the country similar to what is happening in the North Fork Valley. It’s sort of a renaissance,” Brett said.  “I think it is important to encourage that. Many of our students don’t live in Colorado, and we think that this program will give them the inspiration to take this where ever they go and source the best ingredients,    local and organic products in their cooking because they see the huge difference in the food.”