Adam Danforth is the James Beard award-winning author of two books, published by Storey Publishing, about slaughtering and butchering livestock. Adam trained at the professional meat processing program at SUNY Cobleskill, one of the only such programs in the United States, before going to work at Marlow and Daughters and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, both in New York. They lead experiential workshops worldwide on butchery and meat science for venues such as Stone Barns Center for Agriculture, the James Beard Foundation Chefs Boot Camp, Google, and the National Bison Association. Adam also consults and provides education to restaurants including Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Bazaar Meat, The Perennial, and Maude. They are the American ambassador for the Butchers Manifesto and a board member of the Chefs Collaborative and the Good Meat Project. Adam lives on unceded Shasta, Takelma, Latgawa land in Ashland, Oregon, USA.
Workshops
Discovering the Unknown Flavors of Meat
What contributes to incredible flavor in meat? How do we increase flavor and achieve palatable tenderness? What conditions during the life of the animal impact the quality of the meat? These questions (and many more) are answered as a whole carcass is systematically broken down, with individual muscles isolated and described for function, flavor, tenderness, and potential for incredible food memories. In this unique format of experiential education, stigmas in meat are routinely challenged through the use of older animals such as cull dairy cows, mutton, and old goats. The workshop concludes with several rounds of blind tasting contrasting muscles, reinforcing the core workshop concepts of prioritizing flavor over tenderness and the direct correlation between an animal’s welfare and the nutrition and emotional potential in its meat.
This workshop is customizable for any vocational audience: culinary professionals, processors, homesteaders, consumers, and more. It averages 3-hours in length and can easily accommodate 30 participants or more.
To learn more, contact Adam at info@adamdanforth.com.
“Our experience working with Adam was extremely beneficial and positive. To meet someone as passionate as they are about the art of butchering and its preservation is not only unique but incredibly inspiring. I firmly believe that so much of what we are aspiring to do in hospitality is rooted in inspiration and to collaborate with someone like Adam is wonderful. Their attention to detail in each step of the butchering and slaughtering process paid direct respect to the animal and also the steps of service. Their skill set is clearly outstanding — they are able to show us all something we have not seen before and for that we are very grateful.”
Dmitri Magi, Chef de Cuisine at Eleven Madison Park
From Life to Meat — a Hands-on Experience
On an actual farm, participants observe and experience the process of how a living animal (we typically use sheep and goats) transitions to meat. Throughout the process, an emphasis is placed on the animal’s well-being.
This workshop is typically 3 hours in length. Attendance is limited to around fifteen. To learn more, contact Adam at info@adamdanforth.com.
"There is a growing interest in small-scale processing of ... animals — partially because people are interested in maintaining control over the quality of their meat. Unfortunately, there's relatively little information that is appropriate for people operating at this level, especially those who are slaughtering for the first time… Adam Danforth provides easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions for people raising their own livestock to humanely slaughter an animal and butcher it with good food safety practices."
Temple Grandin, Author of “Humane Livestock Handling” and “Animals in Translation”
Also Available: Hands-on Training for Any Species of Livestock
Are you managing a commercial kitchen specializing in whole-animal butchery? Does your staff intend on reducing food waste? Is your farm or ranch utilizing livestock for restorative practices of pastures and soil?
Adam will create a custom curriculum for any application, from professional kitchens to nonprofits to ambitious homesteads, that features hands-on training with any species based on your personal goals.
Business Consultation
We also offer customized consulting and hands-on butchery training to any food business that utilizes meat. Topics may include:
Whole-carcass analysis and utilization
Increased utilization and reduced food waste
Diversity of cuts and applications
Dry-aging programs and environments
Farmer and processor relations
Staff farm visits and on-farm slaughter workshops