Support Bringing Locally Sourced Meats to Colorado With Hosted Dinners

Photos courtesy of Kevin Austin

Welcome back my fellow foodies.  There are some amazing people that live in Colorado, and I had the opportunity to attend a dinner hosted by two of the best. Chef Taylor Kellenaers owns Marble and Marrow catering/private dining company and Cora Gains is part owner of The Butchers Hook in Evergreen CO.  A little background on why these two awesome humans are so important to the future of the food scene of Colorado.

The Butcher’s Hook was opened in April 2023 by Cora Gains, Evan Jeffries, Bob Bruso, and Levi Brown. It took about a year of work before that for the shop to open, and about 5 years of work even before that!  Evan Jeffries is an Evergreen local that had a dream of having a trustworthy, eco responsible, and delicious meat product close to home.  So, he along with a few partners, figured out how to not only operate a cattle ranch, but build their own USDA processing facility, and open a butcher shop. This was the only way they could see to bring everyone their amazing product in a completely controlled and responsible way, and so The Butchers Hook was born. Cora operates the shop and knows everything and anything there is to know about the industry.

Marble & Marrow Private Dining launched on November 1, 2022 when Chef Taylor decided to leave behind the life of a restaurant chef but still wanted to cook and bring the upscale restaurant experience to people by cooking in their homes in a more intimate setting.  Raised in Conifer, Colorado, Chef Taylor began his career as a dishwasher at age 15. During his apprenticeship at Rocky Mountain Chefs of Colorado he simultaneously worked his way up to Sous Chef at one of the top steak and seafood restaurant companies in the country.  He developed a knack for teaching and training. Chef Taylor trained kitchen staff for new line dining restaurants in Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, and the Denver Tech Center.  He has done consulting for businesses from food trucks to assisted living communities.

This special seated dinner I attended for twelve was a dinner like no other.  The goal was to raise funds for Cora to attend the Butchers of America World Challenge with over 14 countries competing.  This competition is something akin to the “Iron Chef of Butchers.”  Cora is one of only three female butchers representing Team USA at the event!  This food event was held at Cold Springs Ranch in Golden which is a stunning VRBO set on 20 acres of land.  This event was called “Hog Heaven” as every course included some kind of pork.  Ok foodies, lets dig in and pig out!

The first course was a frisee and arugula salad with bacon wrapped dates paired with a pear cider.  This was one of the best salads I have ever had, and perfectly paired with the cider. Next up was a “porkerhouse” steak with au jus and the most delicious acorn, pepita, Italian sausage and golden beet side dish.  It looked like a rainbow of deliciousness.  I could have eaten an entire pan of this medley.  The pork was cooked perfectly and had so much flavor.  This dish was paired with a dry apple cider.  Perfection!  Dessert was something I am still dreaming about and talk about inventive!  We were served a pork rind peanut butter cookie with peanut butter icing and a pork rind crumble.  Foodies, this was the most amazing cookie ever and could easily be award winning.  Perfectly salty and sweet.  Taylor and Cora both shined so bright with their combined cooking skills.  It was amazing!

Marble and Marrow and The Butchers Hook will be hosting more of these fundraisers to cover Cora’s trip to Paris for the competition.  100% of the proceeds from these events will help with travel, uniforms, knives etc.  How cool is it to have chefs so committed to their craft, and it truly is a craft, right here in the front range?  Cora is a woman on a mission to bring locally sourced meat to Colorado.  She truly believes that local butcher shops are making a comeback as people are starting to really care about their food sources.  She is a true example of a force to be reckoned with in her industry which is primarily male dominated.  Head to the website below for Marble and Marrow to learn more about these upcoming food events, which will include a meat event, a poultry event and many more.  You will need to sign up early as they sell out quickly.  With that said my fellow foodies, eat well, drink well and be well, and GO CORA AND BUTCHERS of AMERICA!!!

Marbleandmarrowco.com
Thebutchershook.co
Butchersofamerica.org
Coldspringsranch.co