Every plate that we serve you has a story rooted in the history of our surroundings as well as our local community. The philosophy of sustainable cooking is at the core of all of our culinary creations.

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We believe that our modern culture has become too accustomed to eating non-indigenous animals and out-of-season produce and that this demand for unlimited options has led to a global food supply chain that is unstable and community structures that are unsustainable. Native tribes primarily ate native game and fish, complemented by wild berries, celery, potatoes, carrots and bitterroot. The French trappers were in large part the first non-native chefs in the region, brining their recipes and techniques. Settlers introduced agriculture starting in 1841 at the St. Mary’s Mission and the first cattle drive arrived in the paradise valley in 1866. When Montana became a state in 1889, there were already decades of agricultural development with a mindset towards land preservation and conservation.  Nearly a century and a half later, the call for sustainable local food systems is ringing even stronger.  

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We believe that food has the power to bring communities together like nothing else can and that in order for a community to have a sustainable food supply chain in place, it must foster lasting relationships with its local farmers and ranchers. The simple question of who is harvesting the meats, growing, the produce and baking the breads should all be answered locally. Everyone working independently and together for the greater good creates a harmony that no box store or corporate entity can replicate for any community. The food that is created at our restaurant is created with a great sense of pride, as we feel honored to showcase the wonderful creations from our farm and our community.  

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We believe that It is important to follow the seasonal harvests and food preservation practices that our predecessors did in order to not only embrace the natural environment we have chosen to live in, but to ensure that the flavors are at their highest level of quality, and to support our farming neighbors.

 

We believe that the food we create here should make people feel like they are coming to our homestead for dinner. We work tirelessly on the details required to create an amazing dining experience in hopes that our love is transferred to you, making your day that much better. 

 

WHO WE WORK WITH

 

Meats. We believe that in order to honor the history of Montana, we must focus on the ancient proteins that were available to indigenous people including elk, venison, bison, pheasant, grouse, chucker, rattlesnake and trout. We frequently offer locally raised beef and chicken as well, as it does honor the heritage of the pioneers that came before us. While field harvest laws limit our ability to responsibly source some indigenous game locally, we continually strive to reduce the distance our food travels to get to us. Our providers for protein include:

 

• Beef : Wickens Ranch / Winifred, MT

• Chicken : Black Dog Farms / Livingston, MT  

• Charcuterie : Grotto Meats / Bozeman, MT

• Trout: Native Fish Keepers / Flathead Indian Reservation, MT 

• Pheasant : McFarland Pheasants / Janesville, WI

• Bison :  Montrail Bison / Rocky Mountains

• Venison & Elk :  Broken Arrow Ranch / Kerrville, TX 

 

Veggies & Greens. During the summer months, we enjoy a bounty of fresh veggies and greens from our gardens and local producers but as winter approaches, our capacity to grow produce ends. Like the Montanans that came before us, we adapt to the seasons by focusing on creating ‘salads’ from hardier ingredients like beets, squashes and other root veggies that can be stored in root cellars. We do make exceptions with micro greens and kale as our customers do prefer to have leafy green options year around. 

 

• Our farm and root closet

• Quality Foods Distributing

• Three Hearts Farm

• Amaltheia Sustainable Concepts

• SporeAttic Mushrooms 

• Chance Farms

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Breads. We do not bake our own breads, though this is a long term goal of ours. We purchase all of our breads from two bakeries in Bozeman;

• On The Rise

• Town & Country.

• We buy our flour from Wheat Montana. 

 

Dairy. Surprisingly, with Montana’s dairy production, there is a very limited selection of craft cheese production, though this local industry is growing. We are huge fans of our local creameries;

 

• Amaltheia Organic Dairy / Belgrade, MT

• Lifeline Farm / Victor, MT

• Vintage Cheese Co / Bozeman, MT

• Kalispell Kreamery / Kalispell, MT

 

Alcohol. Because Montana is blessed with so many great brewers and distillers, we only offer beer and spirits made here in Montana. Since Montana doesn't have a climate conducive to wine vineyards, we have to reach a bit further out for good wine but we do limit ourselves to Oregon, Washington and Northern California and focus on winemakers that adhere to organic and sustainable practices just as we do. 

 

Exceptions. While we limit them as much as possible, we do make some exceptions to our commitment to constraining ourselves to work with what our local environment and suppliers can provide. 

 

• Lemon Juice In The Kitchen. While we try to use vinegar when possible, it is hard to not use lemon  juice in the kitchen so we make this exception. 

• Citrus in the Bar. Lemon and lime juice are very present in our cocktail menu. We serve orange juice in our Mimosas for Sunday Brunch. 

• Oils. We use olive oil a lot, which began to be available to import from early California farmers in the 1890’s but whenever possible, we use butter as it can be produced locally. 

• Seasonings. We use as many local seasonings as possible, making our own or utilizing local companies. We do support Rubbed Up Spices. 

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