Where’s the beef? At Aspen Skiing Co. restaurants – and it’s healthy
Company reaches deal to serve grass-fed, Carbondale-raised beef
by Scott Condon
November 23, 2010
ASPEN — The Aspen Skiing Co.’s appetite for environmentally friendly business practices will make its mark on the lunch plates of diners this winter.
The Skico has committed to serve Carbondale-raised, grass-fed, hormone- and antibiotic-free beef at 10 on-mountain restaurants, Jim Butchart, executive chef of the company’s mountain division, said Monday.
The Skico will purchase roughly 13,000 pounds of organic beef from Milagro Ranch for the restaurants’ use during the ski season.
Butchart said the Skico decision supports local agriculture, reduces transportation associated with the food supply and provides numerous health benefits to customers.
“This is what sustainability looks like for a corporation,” he said.
Skico already had a relationship with Milagro Ranch, operated by Felix and Sarah Tornare along County Road 100 in Missouri Heights. Montagna restaurant in the Skico’s Little Nell hotel, as well as Ajax Tavern at the base of Aspen Mountain and the Sundeck, were already customers of Milagro Ranch. Now joining them will be Sam’s Smokehouse, the Ullrhof, Lynn Britt Cabin, Sneaky’s and Up 4 Pizza at Snowmass; Cloud 9 and Merry-Go-Round at Aspen Highlands; and Bump’s and Cliff House at Buttermilk.
Butchart said those restaurants will use ground beef from Milagro Ranch for burgers and chili. Up 4 Pizza will attempt to incorporate the grass-fed beef as pizza topping.
For consumers, the health advantages are clear, Butchart said. The grass-fed beef has less saturated fat so it has less impact on cholesterol levels. And diners have the peace of mind of knowing their beef is free of antibiotics and hormones. A growing number of consumers want to know where their food comes from, Butchart said.
In addition, Milagro Ranch has been certified as producers of humanely raised and handled beef by a nonprofit organization called Humane Farm Animal Care. Its cattle are raised in pastures without going to a feedlot for fattening on grain before processing. The meat processor that Milagro Ranch works with in Delta is also certified as humane, according to Butchart.
Auden Schendler, Skico vice president of sustainability, said he believes a good portion of the company’s customers will appreciate knowing they are “eating beef from a cow that was treated humanely.”
But will they like what they are eating? Butchart believes so, based on his prior experiences as a chef at Ajax Tavern. It’s more natural for cattle to graze on grass than rely on corn and grain. He thinks that is reflected in the taste of Milagro Ranch’s naturally lean beef.
“It’s more a straight beef flavor,” he said. “The nuances of it — it’s a beefier burger.
“It is the closest thing we’re going to find to a healthy burger.”
The Ullrhof will specialize in burgers this winter, so it will obviously live or die based on the quality of its beef. Butchart didn’t hesitate tying its fate to Milagro Ranch. He also tried the meat out in a taste test with a cross-section of Skico employees. It passed with flying colors.
The Tornares were traveling Monday and couldn’t be reached for comment. Butchart met them three or so years ago, learned about their operation and served their meat when he worked at Ajax Tavern. When he took his position as executive chef of the mountain division, in June, he suggested expanding use of Milagro Ranch ground beef to his boss in the food and beverage department. The proposal worked its way up “the food chain” and eventually involved the finance department and Skico President and CEO Mike Kaplan. The switch was embraced despite the cost. The Milagro Ranch beef is more expensive than what the Skico was using, but the price won’t be passed on to consumers as more expensive burgers and chilis, Butchart said.
“This is a $50,000 hit we’re taking to the bottom line,” he said.
Butchart and others at Skico thinks the investment will be repaid in an intangible way. Skico will tout the benefits of the grass-fed beef in information provided at mountain restaurants. The action might inspire customers to take action to make their communities a bit of a better place, Butchart said
Aspen Times – Milagro Ranch
Posted: November 23, 2010 by Certified Humane
Where’s the beef? At Aspen Skiing Co. restaurants – and it’s healthy
Company reaches deal to serve grass-fed, Carbondale-raised beef
November 23, 2010
ASPEN — The Aspen Skiing Co.’s appetite for environmentally friendly business practices will make its mark on the lunch plates of diners this winter.
The Skico has committed to serve Carbondale-raised, grass-fed, hormone- and antibiotic-free beef at 10 on-mountain restaurants, Jim Butchart, executive chef of the company’s mountain division, said Monday.
The Skico will purchase roughly 13,000 pounds of organic beef from Milagro Ranch for the restaurants’ use during the ski season.
Butchart said the Skico decision supports local agriculture, reduces transportation associated with the food supply and provides numerous health benefits to customers.
“This is what sustainability looks like for a corporation,” he said.
Skico already had a relationship with Milagro Ranch, operated by Felix and Sarah Tornare along County Road 100 in Missouri Heights. Montagna restaurant in the Skico’s Little Nell hotel, as well as Ajax Tavern at the base of Aspen Mountain and the Sundeck, were already customers of Milagro Ranch. Now joining them will be Sam’s Smokehouse, the Ullrhof, Lynn Britt Cabin, Sneaky’s and Up 4 Pizza at Snowmass; Cloud 9 and Merry-Go-Round at Aspen Highlands; and Bump’s and Cliff House at Buttermilk.
Butchart said those restaurants will use ground beef from Milagro Ranch for burgers and chili. Up 4 Pizza will attempt to incorporate the grass-fed beef as pizza topping.
For consumers, the health advantages are clear, Butchart said. The grass-fed beef has less saturated fat so it has less impact on cholesterol levels. And diners have the peace of mind of knowing their beef is free of antibiotics and hormones. A growing number of consumers want to know where their food comes from, Butchart said.
In addition, Milagro Ranch has been certified as producers of humanely raised and handled beef by a nonprofit organization called Humane Farm Animal Care. Its cattle are raised in pastures without going to a feedlot for fattening on grain before processing. The meat processor that Milagro Ranch works with in Delta is also certified as humane, according to Butchart.
Auden Schendler, Skico vice president of sustainability, said he believes a good portion of the company’s customers will appreciate knowing they are “eating beef from a cow that was treated humanely.”
But will they like what they are eating? Butchart believes so, based on his prior experiences as a chef at Ajax Tavern. It’s more natural for cattle to graze on grass than rely on corn and grain. He thinks that is reflected in the taste of Milagro Ranch’s naturally lean beef.
“It’s more a straight beef flavor,” he said. “The nuances of it — it’s a beefier burger.
“It is the closest thing we’re going to find to a healthy burger.”
The Ullrhof will specialize in burgers this winter, so it will obviously live or die based on the quality of its beef. Butchart didn’t hesitate tying its fate to Milagro Ranch. He also tried the meat out in a taste test with a cross-section of Skico employees. It passed with flying colors.
The Tornares were traveling Monday and couldn’t be reached for comment. Butchart met them three or so years ago, learned about their operation and served their meat when he worked at Ajax Tavern. When he took his position as executive chef of the mountain division, in June, he suggested expanding use of Milagro Ranch ground beef to his boss in the food and beverage department. The proposal worked its way up “the food chain” and eventually involved the finance department and Skico President and CEO Mike Kaplan. The switch was embraced despite the cost. The Milagro Ranch beef is more expensive than what the Skico was using, but the price won’t be passed on to consumers as more expensive burgers and chilis, Butchart said.
“This is a $50,000 hit we’re taking to the bottom line,” he said.
Butchart and others at Skico thinks the investment will be repaid in an intangible way. Skico will tout the benefits of the grass-fed beef in information provided at mountain restaurants. The action might inspire customers to take action to make their communities a bit of a better place, Butchart said
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