On Aug. 7 and 8 in Washington, D.C., Creekstone Farms presented Cure Camp, an exclusive, invite-only event hosted by chefs, for chefs.

“Cure Camp is a great opportunity for the chef community to get together and extend their knowledge on all things meat. It’s an immersive two days of fun and fellowship, drawing chefs closer to the products they are using and the people who work hard to bring those products to market,” said Nathan Stambaugh, regional sales manager at Creekstone Farms.

During the two days of Cure Camp, the diverse group of chefs who attended were exposed to not only various Creekstone Farms products, but inspired by innovative preparation and cooking techniques. One of the goals of the event is to help chefs discover the lost art of butchery and charcuterie, as well as share foundational techniques on dry curing, aging and fermentation of meat. All of this was done through live demonstrations from expert butcher T.C. Turner (aka the Red Beard Butcher) and charcutier Michael Sullivan.  

This Cure Camp was hosted by Chef Richie Brandenburg and Chef Rubén Garcia, both powerhouses in the industry. Chef Brandenburg most recently led the development of D.C.’s culinary epicenter, Union Market and La Cosecha. Chef Garcia, known as the driving force behind the two-Michelin-star Minibar, has provided leadership to culinary teams across the country and has undertaken a variety of creative projects, including television programming, cookbooks and appearances.

These chefs have helped to spearhead the development of The Square — a chef-driven food market destination where cuisine, culture and community are woven together. The event was held on-site at The Square, which is not yet open to the public.

The Cure Camp attendee list was full of a diverse group of guests — from restaurant chefs and owners to butcher shop operators and caterers. Chef Mollie Mo Kaufmann from World Central Kitchen, the nonprofit headed by Chef Jose Andres, attended, along with Belmont Butchery’s Tanya Cauthen, 2017 winning contestant on "Chopped."

“When we collaborate and we work together face to face, it makes a big difference,” said the Red Beard Butcher, T.C. “Networking, partnership, respect for each other, versus letting our ego get the best of us, is going to take us to the next level and will improve our industry as a whole.”

“We wish there were more opportunities for these,” said PJ Weber, sales specialist with Fells Point Wholesale Meats. “Every time we are done with a Cure Camp, we see a spike in sales on the products that are featured by the chefs. The way they demonstrate everything inspires the chefs and makes them want to do better.” 

“To me, the most impactful moment from Cure Camp was at the end,” said Stambaugh. “The chefs volunteered to help cook all the meat we had butchered for a family style dinner with everyone. This was the first time the host chef had live fire in his new kitchen grill and everyone had such a good time testing out the setup and working with all the products they had seen butchered. At dinner, I was able to walk around with a cutting board full of beef and serve our guests. Serving those who serve us every day in restaurants, was incredibly rewarding.”

Chefs can learn more about Creekstone Farms at CreekstoneFarms.com. Eager to try some products now? Interested parties can order product online at shop.CreekstoneFarms.com. Get 15% off now through the end of August with the discount code CURECAMPDC23.  

Source: Creekstone Farms