Once a year, the tables turn at Niman Ranch.
Chefs who rely on Niman Ranch farmers for exceptional ingredients throughout the year travel to Iowa to cook for them – preparing a one-of-a-kind dinner in honor of the independent family farmers at the heart of the brand.
That tradition continued this September at the 28th annual Niman Ranch Hog Farmer Appreciation Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa, where an accomplished group of chefs from across the country came together to prepare a multi-course feast for Niman Ranch farmers, their families, customers and friends.
At the helm was Chef Andrew Hunter, executive chef for Niman Ranch, who marked his 19th year leading culinary elements of the Hog Farmer Appreciation event. A nationally recognized research and development chef, Hunter has worked with Niman Ranch for nearly two decades and considers the connection between chefs and farmers fundamental to great food.
“The greatest honor a chef can have is a relationship with farmers,” Hunter said. “Niman Ranch has created a means for chefs and farmers to know each other and to rely on each other for a greater good.”
This year, Hunter was joined by five acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs whose own approaches to food reflect a shared appreciation for responsible sourcing, exceptional ingredients and the people who raise them.
A Menu Inspired by the Farmers
Chef Charlie Foster of Woods Hill Table in Concord, Massachusetts, opened the meal with Niman Ranch Pork & Foie Gras Bratwurst, served with creamy spaetzle and grilled Arrowhead cabbage.
Foster’s cooking is deeply rooted in knowing where food comes from. Woods Hill Table features seasonal ingredients from local farmers and purveyors, and Foster sees Niman Ranch as an extension of that philosophy.
“We started our restaurant group to share the pastured meats raised at our farm with the community,” Foster said. “As we expanded, Niman was a natural fit to continue our mission: supporting farmers who are doing it right and ensuring our guests always know they’re eating good meat raised by good people.”
Chef Riley Huddleston, executive chef and partner at Lido House in Newport Beach, California, prepared a Charcoal Grilled Niman Ranch Regenerative Organic Certified® Manhattan Beef Roast with goat cheese butter, Viking sea salt, petite salad and smoked leek vinaigrette.
For Huddleston, responsible sourcing begins with relationships. “Knowing the ranchers behind the product matters,” he said. “When care exists at every step, from the pasture to the plate, the result is not only a more responsible product, but ultimately a more flavorful one.”
James Beard Award-winning Chef Jennifer Jasinski of Rioja in Denver served Niman Ranch Lamb Shoulder Ragu & Goat Cheese Gnudi, accompanied by fennel and torn herb salad and Medoro Pecorino Sardo D.P.O.
Jasinski, whose culinary philosophy centers on using exceptional, fresh and seasonal ingredients, sees Niman Ranch as part of something bigger than the product on the plate.
“I use Niman Ranch because it gives me confidence that we’re all working together, from the animals to the farmers to me, to build a better food system,” she said. “And it’s a beautiful product.”
Chef David Zimmerman, executive chef de cuisine for Stark Reality Restaurants in Santa Rosa, California, brought a playful approach to bacon with Mu Shu Niman Ranch Pork Belly Bacon, served with chive and shiso crepes and hoisin BBQ sauce.
Zimmerman sees a parallel between the way great restaurants invest in their teams and the way Niman Ranch invests in its farmer network.
“By investing in their farmers and giving them the opportunity to succeed, those farmers can focus on exceptional animal care and uncompromising quality,” Zimmerman said. “That commitment carries all the way to the plate.”
Two-time James Beard Award winner Chef Sarah Stegner of Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook, Illinois, prepared a comforting Pecan & Herb Breaded Niman Ranch Iberian Duroc Pork Cutlet with creamy mashed potatoes, late summer vegetables, fried capers and lemon butter sauce.
A longtime advocate for sustainable farmers and local food systems, Stegner sees the success of family farms as something that benefits everyone.
“Niman Ranch is leading the way for change for the better in our food systems,” Stegner said. “Their 600 family farms are helping our land, protecting our food source and helping us with a clean environment. All of those things are so important to us as a community, and we need to stand behind them and make sure they are successful. Their success is our success.”
The evening ended on a sweet note from KC Zinn of Marczyk Fine Foods in Denver, who prepared Blueberry Lemon Meringue Cannoli for dessert.
Bringing the Food System Full Circle
Niman Ranch’s annual Hog Farmer Appreciation Dinner was created with a simple purpose: to thank the farmers whose hard work makes Niman Ranch possible. Twenty-eight years later, that remains the heart of the evening.
For the chefs, cooking at this dinner offers an opportunity to express that gratitude through the medium they know best. For farmers, it offers the chance to sit down together and experience their work transformed into dishes created especially for them.
Great food starts long before it reaches the kitchen. It starts on the farm – with the choices farmers make every day about how they care for their animals and land.
For one night a year in Iowa, the chefs get to serve the people who make their work possible.
And that’s what makes this dinner unlike any other.