Farm to Fork
As a chef, healthy eating is at the forefront of almost everything I do. Not to say that everything I cook is healthy, at times it may contain butter, pork fat or rich cuts of meat. I do take into consideration health by knowing where my meats, fats, and produce are coming from. I know that my products are coming from a natural source, not pumped with growth hormones, saline solutions, flavor additives, antibiotics, pesticides and the list goes on.
I recently had the privilege of touring one of Florida’s hidden gems, Adena Springs Ranch located in Marion County Florida. Adena Ranch was created in 2010 auto parts giant, Frank Stranach. Franked cleared over 90,000 acres of pine forest in central Florida to supply the best grass lands for grass fed cattle. The crew at Adena have done the research to find the best grasses at each stage of the cows growing to achieve the finest tasting beef. The cows are free range, 100% grass fed, never administered GMO foods or antibiotics. Raised as Mother Nature intended and it shows in the quality of the meat, flavor, and health benefits. I also got to tour the state of the art processing facility and was amazed by the level of commitment to sanitation and procedure, the Temple Grandin designed corrals, and attention to detail when inspecting animals. We also toured the rest of the ranch which is stocked with pigs, sheep, and chickens raised on pasture in the same manner for the future production of free range non-GMO pork, chicken and lamb. Having two restaurants of his own, Frank’s philosophy is that he wants to know where his food is coming from, from “farm to Fork”.
As I stated above, being a chef we are stewards of healthy eating, educating, and providing the healthiest foods for our guests. I am certain you will see the name Adena Ranch and quality meats in the near future on menus and in markets.
Tyson Grant
