From Ranch to Ribeye: Chef Kathleen Crook’s Wild Ride to Culinary Stardom

In this episode of The Real Santa Fe, Bunny sits down with one of Santa Fe’s most beloved chefs — and one of her dearest friends — Kathleen “Kat” Crook, executive chef and owner of Market Steer Steakhouse. Recently named to the James Beard Foundation’s TasteTwenty list, Kat is taking her rodeo grit, sustainable mindset, and culinary passion to the national stage.

But before she was serving up green chile mussels and reinventing happy hour in Santa Fe, Kat was a world champion roper managing 350 head of cattle on her family’s ranch in Artesia, New Mexico. We talk about her wild leap from ranch life to culinary school, the surprising moment that changed everything, and how she’s built a downtown steakhouse that feels like home — with food that’s anything but ordinary.

You’ll hear:

• How a windy night and an Emeril Lagasse cookbook sparked a whole new life
• The journey from rodeo circuit to fine dining kitchens in Dallas and Aspen
• What makes Market Steer’s beef and vibe truly different
• How Santa Fe’s culinary scene is evolving — and where it’s going next
• Why the James Beard recognition means so much (and what’s coming this November)

Oh, and did we mention caviar Frito pie?

This is one of those stories that will leave you inspired, hungry, and maybe ready to take your own big leap.

📍Market Steer is now located at 213 Washington Ave. in downtown Santa Fe — and trust us, you’ll want to make a reservation.

Market Steer Website: https://marketsteersteakhouse.com/

Bunny Terry's website

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Original Music by: Kene Terry

Transcript

 I wanna welcome everybody back to the Real Santa Fe podcast where we shine a light on the chefs, the artists, and the makers who make our city in like anywhere else. And today's guest, I'm so excited. We've been planning to do this for, I don't know, it seems like years, but, um, it's a true Santa Fe standout.

One of my best friends and, um, one of the most fascinating people I know, chef Cat Crook, who Cat is the executive chef and owner of Market Steer Steakhouse, and. Recently named to the James Beard Foundation's Taste 20 list. And, uh, Kat isn't just making incredible food and running everybody's favorite new restaurant, um, at least in a new location.

Um, you're representing Santa Fe on the national stage and bringing your roots, your rodeo, grit. I love that. And your passion for sustainability to everything you do. So, um. We are fellow Eastern New Mexico girls. Tell folks where you're from. I'm from Artesian, New Mexico. So cool. Can we talk for a second about your life before cooking?

Sure. Oh man. Life before cooking was wild. Um, you hold some titles other than being James, the, the a James Beard Chef. What, what, what, what all those, what are all those awards in the, in the restaurant for, um, all for my, uh, market steer showing four H and FFAs. I have some rodeo awards in there and my, uh, world champion saddle sets in there.

That's so cool. Um, so for, so we, we do, we take people all the time. Of course, as you know, we bring people to the restaurant, they're always like, what is all this stuff? And I said, it's all cat, every bit of it, right? Yes ma'am. That is so cool. So what um, for those, for people who don't know very much about rodeo, 'cause we never, ever, ever want to assume that people who are listening.

Come from the exact same background as we do. What is, what does being a world champion roper mean? What exactly do you do to get that? I mean, well, it's a long, it's a long road, but, um, you know, it, it's just a lot of hard work and determination. Lots of practice. You know, I, I correlated a lot to playing sports.

Um, you know, it, it's repetitious and, um, you know, it takes, takes a lot of effort. Um, you know, back whenever I was rodeoing and going down the road, traveling, doing it, and training horses. I mean, it would be nothing for me to have. You know, 15 or 20 head of horses saddled a day to, to rope and train and practice and then, you know, load the trailers on Thursday night to be gone until Monday morning.

And, and, and, you know, it's, it's, it was a lot, but it, it was definitely what kind of shaped my background and, and who I am as a person now. Well, so explain exactly what I mean. You are. Wielding a rope from the back of a horse that's moving quickly, right? Yeah. Um, that, uh, that, that year, I, I, I don't remember how it was, golly, it was a long time ago.

I was recalling way back. Um, you know, it takes, takes a lot of skill to swing a, to get on a horse one, and then to be swinging a rope and trying to rope a calf in, in two seconds. And in, in the breakaway, your rope is tied to your saddle horn with a piece of string. So when you rope the calf and the rope breaks, breaks away from the saddle horn, that's when your time stops.

So, um, you know, they all vary from different arenas to different arenas and time, but, um, it was, it's very, uh, it takes a lot of skill. Well, so what was, what was the time that won you the world? Um. That one, it was at the Lazy Arena in Oklahoma City or in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Sorry. Um, I, I feel like the A two nine won the last round.

Yeah. And that, that's a longer, bigger arena. So, you know, like I said, they all vary from different arenas, but I wrote it was a five head average and I, I was. One of four that roped all five head, but I roped all five head in less than three, 3.5 seconds. Wow. I, that's, that's amazing. And, and I'm, I'm a huge team roping fan, which is just, I think it's like this sort, it's like ballet.

It's so poetic. Yes. Um. That's, uh, 2.9 seconds. That's crazy. That's fast. Yes, ma'am. Yes ma'am. So, so you and people, if you're listening and you're not watching you, you, um, you can tell that, um, Kat grew up, um, where folks say, yes sir. And yes ma'am. And that is on a ranch in Artesia. Um, I, I, we love the story of how you made the decision to move from managing cattle to, um, being a chef.

That's my, one of my favorite stories ever. Can you tell folks what that is? Sure. Yeah. I was, um, you know, I think. I left home to go to college on a rodeo scholarship and, um, spent way too long in college, probably majored in too much beer drinking, but, um, finished school and did what farm and ranch kids are supposed to do.

I went back to take over the farm and the ranch and kind of take over my parents' legacy, if you will. Um, I was at my mom's ranch. Geez, I think we had about 350 head of mama cows. And, um, you know, it's long hours and lots of work, but, uh, the wind can blow, especially in southern New Mexico. It can really blow when there's nothing to stop it.

And I came in one day and the, the wind had just, it had been. Almost insufferable. And I was up one night watching TV and an infomercial for Scottsdale Culinary Institute came on. And um, I decided I wanted to change and so I went and told my mom what I wanted to do. She thought I was absolutely crazy for sure.

And, um. Yeah, I picked up an Emeral Lagasse cookbook of all cookbooks to pick up. I cooked it cover to cover and then I sold everything and took, you know, I sold my truck trailer horses, tack all of it. I bought an SUV, which I had never driven one, and, because all I'd ever driven were big trucks, um, and went to school and never looked back, big chance on itself.

And, and did you? Did you have much experience cooking before? None. I had, I mean, at this point, like I had maybe boiled some water to cook some dry pasta, to pour out some spaghetti sauce, you know? Right. Grilled cheese here or there. That's why my mom was in such shock. She was like, this is nothing you have ever been like shown interest in or anything else.

You know, like I was always kind of drawn to my grandmother. She was a caterer back when my mom was like in high school and. She was finishing up her business whenever I was, you know, seven or eight years old, and I was always kind of drawn to her and I never knew why, but, um, it was definitely, um, it was definitely a shock to my entire family that this was the path that I wanted to take.

That's so, that is, I love that story because sometimes people do that and, and they go and try something new and it's like, wait a second, they fall flat on their face. You didn't do that. You got it. I got lucky. Well, and you worked hard, which you know how to do. Yes, ma'am. And, and plus I, I think I found what kind of fed my soul, you know, it was like, you know, the ranching and the farming, like all that heritage, growing up with all that, I would've been a fourth generation, fourth generation farmer and rancher.

And, you know, that, that was also very inspiring to see, you know, my family and, and the hard work and dedication and all that took. And I think I took all of that. Put into, into culinary school and then whenever I found, like the first time I watched somebody eat something that I make it, it that I, that I had made, it filled my heart in a way that had never been filled.

Well, thank goodness. Thank goodness. That's, that's how you felt about it. Okay, so you finished culinary school. Where'd you go from there? I went to Grapevine, Texas. Um, I got hired over the phone from, uh, there was a big resort opening there. Um, there was a fine dining steakhouse inside of it called, uh, old Hickory Steakhouse.

I. And the executive chef that's, uh, still my mentor. I, I, I talked to him yesterday. Um, his name is Tom Fleming. Um, he hired me and I had never held a job outside of working for myself, training horses or either one of my parents. So it was, it was a little. Kinda crazy. I, I walked into that and, and he just, he nicknamed me cat right away and he was like, okay, you're gonna fit right in.

And, and it was like shake and stir. It was it. He was a, he is been a great mentor and that's a really, um, I mean, I only, uh, you know, I watched people in kitchens and I especially watched you, but that's a crazy environment to step into, isn't it? It's just organized chaos. Okay. At all times. Looks like it doesn't matter if I get here at 10 o'clock in the morning and me and my prep cooks are making food, or it's during dinner service.

It's just organized chaos. I wanna be sure people hear that. That's disorganized, right? Yes. And yet, and yet it all comes together perfectly. But So you went to Grapevine, is that where you met Christina? No, I actually cooked in Grapevine for about a year and a half and, um, decided I didn't wanna be in a big city.

I'm not sure why I made that decision, but I moved back home. Um, I ran a brew pub in Artesia for about a, a little over a year and a half, maybe two years. I guess I was there. And, um, the same chef that hired me was opening another restaurant in downtown Dallas and he offered me a position that I couldn't say no to.

So I moved back to Dallas and um, I opened two restaurants with him and it was amazing and, um, really fun. And, um, God, where did, when I met Christina, that was like 2006. So I met Christina in 2009. Ah. Yeah. And where was that? That was at a restaurant called Park with a different chef. I was still a sous chef there and still kind of cutting my teeth and learning and trying to figure out, you know, where, what I wanted to do when I grew up other than just run kitchens.

And, um, yeah, it was, it was really great. She was a server there and rest is kind of history. That's one of my favorite stories too, is just the two of you, how well you live and work together. It. It's, it's inspiring. It can be. Well, it's always fun. I mean, you know, we, we, we do work very well together and we, we've worked apart from each other and then we've worked together and we prefer it together.

And, and it's, it's, it's pretty fun to get to share your passion with someone else who's equally as passionate about it. Well, you do it very well. So you went to da, you were in Dallas, you went to Aspen, right? That was. What happened there? We decided that we wanted to, her family was all from Dallas, and Dallas was kind of one of the only places that I'd ever really cooked other than Scottsdale.

And we decided we wanted to do something different. So we had a mutual friend of some restaurateurs in Aspen and we drove up on a whim. They were looking for a chef and a manager and, and I did a tasting. Christina did an interview. We got hired and. It happened really fast. So we, we packed up our whole house in Dallas and, and said goodbye to the life that we had started there and just started a new one where it was just us and that was really kind of special.

And it was a, it was the first really big leap that we took for us. And Aspen was great. It was a really good time. So what was the name of that place in Aspen? Uh, we opened Steakhouse three 16. And we were there. I, I think I was there almost five years. Wow. Is it still there? It is, yeah. Yeah. And then, and then you came to Santa Fe, right?

Yes, ma'am. What prompted that? Uh, you know, the seasonality really, uh, family and seasonality. We wanted to be closer to her family. We wanna be closer to mine. Um, we kind of stopped Santa Fe, if you will. Um, it was, we'd come up and spend the weekend and kind of look around and kind of, you know, could we live here, could we not, you know, kind of thing.

And it was really kind of interesting. I grew up in New Mexico, but never spent any time in Santa Fe. 'cause we were in the southern part of the state and, you know, it was, it's just, it's very different. The state split by I 40. So, you know, it was, uh, just, it's, it's different culture, different thing, but.

There was something that just drew us both in, like, not, not only the scenery, but the spirituality of Santa Fe and it, it just kind of captured us and then I. We get four seasons here, which was amazing. Which, I mean, you can get 'em all in one day sometimes, but, um, right, right. Last week, yeah. The, the seven months of winter in Aspen just got a little bit daunting and it was just, you know, I'm, I'm from the desert.

Christina's from Dallas. We don't like, it was just, it was very, uh, it was very different. And so we wanted to get out of that, get seasonality and get where people could come visit a little easier. So was market steer like the first, that this was your first outing in? Yep. We took, uh, we looked at some buildings.

Um, heritage Hotels reached out to us. They were looking for someone to lease the space at the hotel, St. Francis, and we did a request for proposal for them and we pitched market steer. They actually said that Santa Fe doesn't need another steakhouse, and we begged to differ and. I think there was room for all of us here.

So I, I, the rest is kind of the writing on the wall. Well, so, and what year, what year did you open? I can't remember. 18. August of 18. Well, so now, and now I get to be part of the story because, um, my hus, Toby, and I had gone to, um, El Alpha roll. I think we had gone to El Alpha roll. We still live downtown and.

He and we were talking about, um, eating there and we looked at the menu and it was like, no, we've done this recently. And I said, there is some new place at the St. Francis. We should go by there. And he said, you know, that's kind of the place where restaurants go to die. I said, I know, let's go try it out and see how long they're gonna last.

And, and we went. It was a perfect meal for us because. We're both steak lovers, but I think it was in October of 2018. Okay. When you first came in and ate with you, and then I stalked you for, um, forever. Um, had did it. We did a, um. We did a video together the first year, then we went back and did another one.

That was when I was doing the Friday foodies and you put up with me, you let me keep coming back and bugging you all the time. So thank you for that. You, well, uh, I'm nothing, not tenacious, but, um, so, so what makes, what makes market steer different than, you know, just, you know, any other steakhouse? Um, I think a, i, I attribute a lot of it to my, uh, my background.

Um, you know, kind of, not kind of, but knowing how cattle are to be raised and how your food is raised. You know, I, I think it's, I think it was huge. It was one thing that. Christine and I both talked about, you know, we all have old bosses and old things and things that like, well, when we finally get to do X, we're gonna do it this way.

Or, you know, kind of right. Those thought processes. And we, we wrote down all of 'em, um, throughout the years. And it was kind of one of those things when we had the opportunity to open market steer, we, we were like, okay, what do we wanna be, what do we wanna do? And, you know, sustainability was big to me. Um, the humanely raised cattle was big, um, and.

I, our hospitality, I think kind of makes it very different. Um, you know, 'cause it's not. It's warm and it's not stuffy and it's not, and I mean, we, we coined the, the, the saying, you know, we're fine dining meets fun dining or fun dining meets fine dining. I don't remember how it goes now that I said that, but you know, we wanna, we want it to be fun and have, have a good time.

And we wanna create a culture where people not only wanna work with us at marketer, but. A culture where people wanna come in and enjoy market steer and you know, and I think that's, that's, we try to be very true to that. Um, it's something that we both kind of live by every day. Not only the back of the house, but the front of the house as well.

And, and we knew that that would translate to guests. 'cause we've, we've worked in positions to where that wasn't the case. And um, it was one of the things we felt very strongly about. And I would say what separates market steer from anything else's culture. Well, just as an example, I know that after the pandemic, after you, when, when everybody clo got really quiet and closed down, I mean, you, you kept a lot of your staff and even when you moved, I.

You, yeah. You had some dead time there, but everybody was like, we're coming back. We're working for you. Right. Yeah. Um, whenever we closed at the hotel, St. Francis to move to the new location on Washington Ave, um, we were closed for exactly 100 days and we had 100% of our staff stay on and, which is a huge testament, you know, it's, it's something and that was, that was something that both of us were, we were just so proud that like.

What we said we wanted to do, we did. And, and you know, we continue to feed off of that, that energy and that positivity every day to keep the, the, the culture of our restaurant very well intact. I. Well, I think the cool thing, I mean other than the food is great and I love you guys, but I think the cool thing is that, um, people kind of feel, even, even my, I mean even my clients who came in last week, they said, it kind of feels like you're eating with family every time.

Yeah. That's cool. I hadn't heard that one. That's, oh no, I, it's, it's, it's, um, I mean you, especially if, um, your staff gets accustomed to seeing people, I mean, I don't know if you're, if you cultivate that with them or they just do it, but it always, you know, people call you by name and, and it's not 'cause I go there and have a drink every day, but, but it could be.

But, but, but people feel, um, welcome. And sort of like they're hanging out with family, I think. Yeah. With really good food. I mean, no, nobody in my family ever, ever had food like that. Um, so I have a few questions here that my producer created and I think this is a good one. You, you infused some New Mexico ingredients into what you create there.

Talk about that. Like what are your most popular dishes? I'm sure. Yeah. I think, um, you know. We wanted to have nods to New Mexico and make sure that we were being, you know, not, not only I was being true to my heritage and my background and, and I mean, I grew up, my dad raised chilies, you know, like we. We grew red, green and red chilies, like, and, and there that was always a thing.

Harvest was always so fun. So we wanted to make sure that we had nods to New Mexico. You know, our, our green chili butter that gets served to, to the tables. Um, my Tex-Mex mussels that have the autumn roast bueno, green chili, um, you know, our green chili risotto. There's just, there's little nods here and there that, that I think are important because it does.

It does kind of help tie all the story together and the food to the story, to the restaurant, to the place that we're at. Well, I guess we had to talk about the place because you were at the Hotel St. Francis, and then you decided to venture elsewhere and we looked, I mean we looked at several different places and then you chose this location that, I gotta tell you, when you were looking at it, we were both like, oh, that's gonna be so much work.

Um, and I'm talking about not you, but Toby and I were like, oh my gosh. And wow, what an amazing thing you did. With that space. Um, talk about that a little bit, about the new, I mean, you didn't, you're not just making food. You created this whole new space in Santa Fe that was really surprising to people.

Totally. And I think, you know, at St. Francis, people were able to see my culinary focus, you know, the food and all that. And, and Christina wasn't able to express it there. Uh, you know, 'cause we couldn't do really anything with the core or whatever. So, and when we, we decided to purchase a building, you know.

We were like, oh, we'll just do a little bit this and that. And then it turned into a lot of bit and then a lot more of a bit, and then a lot more of a bit. So, you know, which I, looking back now, I'm thankful we made those decisions because now, you know, Christina's vision of how she wanted the restaurant to look and feel very much ties into how, what the food, right?

So it's, it's all very cohesive, but it was, um, it was a. God. It, I, I, looking back on that year of un being under construction, I, I still like, I know it's all come to fruition now, but like that whole waiting game was so hard and we were like, holy cow, what are we doing? Like every day was like, holy fricking cow, what are we doing?

And then it just kind of, it all fell together, you know, the design of the space, you know, with our designer and Christina and our, our, our contractors. It just all. It all worked and, and you know, now I think everything is, is, I think cohesive is a good word. I think you can walk into one room and not feel like that there's a completely separate room, you know, like between the tack room and the dining room, um, and the open kitchen, which everybody thought I was crazy for having an open kitchen.

But I think it's a good focal point in a bar to have people kind of see not only the action from the bartenders, but from the kitchen and kind of see the inner workings of how it all goes down. It, it is an amazing place and um, for folks who are familiar with Santa Fe but haven't been here in a few years, it's the old Elison space on Washington Street.

We gotta say that. We gotta say where they can find you. What's the address? It's two 13 Washington Avenue. So it don't go to the hotel safe, Francis, looking for them. You gotta go to the new space and now you've been there. Have you been there a year? It's Almo. July 15th will be our, our year here. Wow. Are we having a party?

I am hoping to. That's, that's the plan. Um, it's, uh, it still doesn't feel real, so when we talk about, like, it's almost been a year, we're like, holy cow. It, it really has like, we probably should do a party. Well, and you did something that was so cool. I remember when we talked about the concept and you kept saying, I really wanna do something, you know, craft cocktails or something surprising.

You brought back Happy Hour in Santa Fe. Talk about that. That so was such a great idea. Oh, happy hour. It's, it's a blessing and a curse, but mostly a blessing. Um, you know, um, at first I was a little apprehensive 'cause I was like, well, I don't wanna, I don't wanna bar. But it is a bar. But it's so fun because like I got to be creative with food and do a little bit different things that aren't necess, that we don't serve in the dining room.

So it's, it's bar specific, but um, it's created a buzz and we had no idea it would be this successful. I mean, there's people lined up to come in. I know I wanna, and I just, I look out there and I'm like, what did we do? What do we do? But it's like, it's pretty cool still. And it's still, it's still very much like those pinch me moments.

It's like this is still happening. Like, okay, we can do that. No, I'm gonna tell people, if you wanna get a seat in the tack room, which is what we call the bar, um, at four o'clock you have to be in line. You have to be outside, be ready. 'cause if you come at five, you're liable to be told, uh, sorry, I need, you know.

Yeah, we don't take reservations in there. So it's kind, it's first come, first serve and it's, um, you know, and that's, that's, it's successful and it's fun and people really like it. I mean, $10 martinis and lobster deviled eggs. Okay. Oh, those lobster deviled eggs. Wow. Um, and, um, and, and talk about what, what, what do you have on the menu?

Write this minute that is your favorite thing that you think everybody ought try. Man, I, I always push our, I love our muscle. I, I love muscles to begin with. I worked at the restaurant back in Dallas and we had muscles, they were four different ways, and so that kind of got me addicted. So that's where all of the.

All the different renditions of mussel before we opened, I bet we did 20 different renditions of champagne or butter or this or that, or like just different ingredients. And finally it, Christina kinda looked at each other, was like, I want something that's New Mexico, but Texas. And she and one of our, one of our old Chaley worked with.

Probably needs to own stock and Shiner Bach beer. 'cause that's what he drank. And, and, um, we're like, let's do a nod to that. And then the green chili and it kind of all made sense. So, you know, I always push the green chili mussel. I think they're, they're really, or the Tex-Mex mussel. Um, in the bar right now, I'm doing a caviar play on, uh.

Frito Pie. I'm telling you, it's so good. You gotta describe it. It's kind, it's fun. We, I, you know, I wanted the Frito Pie bag, but I didn't wanna use Fritos, so I make, we make our own chips. And then, you know, it's the typical or the, the usual suspects with caviar, you know, creme fresh and, uh, chives and this and that.

And, and, and. Then the caviar on top. It's, it's just fun and it's a playful spin on something that's usually seen pretty serious. And I didn't want it to be a serious dish, but it tastes good. It is so good. It is so, so good. So, um, what do you think about, how, how are things different from when you started here in 2018?

How's the food scene different? I think it's changed. I think there's been some turnover on, or not really turnover, but there's been some new chefs, you know, uh, say the compound and at Geronimo and Santa Cafe, like all of that's kind of changed since we've been here. There's, so I think there's a little bit younger blood coming in.

Oh, oh yeah. Oh yeah. Which I think, you know, I, I always call the Santa Fe culinary scene, tiny but mighty, you know? And I think there's some really great chefs in a very small. Space, you know, I mean, Santa Fe is what, not even a hundred thousand people. Oh no, not even 80. Yeah, yeah. And, you know, and, but there's some really talent there.

There's some really talented chefs in this town and I, I think, you know, I've seen it evolve out of kind of some old school stuff into, into some new blood, which is kind of fun and exciting and it keeps everybody on their toes. 'cause uh, we can't just have one good restaurant. We need several. We have a lot.

For people who don't know, this is a foodie town for sure. Absolutely. So we gotta talk about the James Beard thing. Whew. Congratulations. So talk, what is, so you got chosen as one of the Taste 20 chefs. What, how did, how did you get that news? Um. The, the, there's a lady in town that, uh, Natalie Bovis that, um, she works for the James Beard Foundation.

Um, and she sent an email, said she wanted to meet up with us and kind of told us the news and, and, and it was, we walked out, it took like 20 minutes, 30 minutes for this whole meeting. We walked out and I looked at Christina and I was just like, I go, I was speechless. It was like, as a chef. There, there's a couple awards that you wanna win along the way or be, or be recognized by or whatever.

Um, and I'm a bit of a competitive person, shocker. But, um, you know, I think when, when I started this industry and kind of started moving up in the ranks and where you could get recognized for this, um, James Beard was always the one that I was kind of. Sought after and thought, well, if I ever, if I ever, if I ever, you know, and it was like, that was a, that was a dream that I set in motion years ago.

And, and to have it come to fruition was it, it's still, it's kinda like this building and this restaurant, it still doesn't feel real yet, but it's, it's, it's a big honor. And it's a big honor just to be in the conversation of, of an organization such as James Beard. So what are the, what's the criteria other than you know, how to do more than boil water?

Um, are we talking specific to James Beard or to the kids? Yes. Yes. Okay. Um, you know, they, they talk a lot about, you know, good food for people and sustainability and, you know, character and talent and all this, and, and I think you kind of have to encompass. A lot of, all of it. Um, and which, you know, the sustainability really speaks to me because I don't think people really know where their food comes from.

I think that, uh, you know, and, and a lot of restaurants don't care. They just wanna feed you. And, and it's, you know, with my farming and ranching background, I wanna make sure that I'm, you know, bringing in sustainable, you know, ingredients that are good for you. And I think that, I think that's huge. Um, the, uh.

I mean, I made notes 'cause I get lost in my head sometimes. Well, I, I got here something that the foundation emphasized not just your talent, but your leadership and community advocacy with, is that a piece of it? Totally. Um, and, and leadership's huge, you know, and it, it's not just in the kitchen, it's not just, it's, it's like, you know, being at other events with other chefs, you know, it's like.

Kind of that, that old saying, you know, do on others. You do on yourself, but, you know, it's like we're, we're all leaders in our own right. But like, when you're actually being a leader, not only in your building but outside your building, you know, then that, that's when it becomes a more global picture. I think.

Um, you know, I. Well, you give away. I mean, you give away time. I know that you give away your time. I know you do it for, um, cooking kids. Um, you do it for, you know, like the, um, LA fire benefit. Um, I don't, for wine and chili. I mean, those are all events that wine and chili they sign me up for. I say they, Christina signs me up for everything.

So I'll, I'll, like, I have like five events during chili wine or wine and chili, but you know, it's kind. It's fun. And you know, I think, I think leadership is a backbone of any organization, you know, and, and it takes leadership not only from me, but from my cooks and from the staff and, and it's, I don't know.

It's, it's huge. It's one of my, it's, it's one of my favorite words to use and to live by. Yeah, me too. And, and how does it work? So you're, you're with 19 other chefs, correct? You're in the 20 uhhuh. How, what, what happens? What's the deal? Well, I honestly, I, I'm still reading up and kind of learning quite a bit about like the process, but you know what, what we go to LA to do is to help a fundraiser for the James Beard Foundation.

So, you know, there. What the goal is, is to create some comradery between chefs across the country. Um, and that, that's my goal with going out there as well is, you know, like making some connections and, and you know, learning from other people and getting to, to network and download. Like, you know, Hey, I've had this going on in my kitchen.

Have you had these similar things? And, you know, to talk to people that are like-minded in the industry and, and really like, kind of lift each other up, you know? I think that's a lot of the things. That, um, I like about leadership as well is, you know, there's certain people in, in any city you go to in your current field, it doesn't matter that, that, uh, wanna keep you down.

And I, I'd like that to go away, especially in the culinary world. You know, I, I would like it to be a little bit more where it's uplifting and positive and it's not, well that restaurant, you know, I don't, I don't wanna do that. You know, and it's kind of one of those things where, you know, this, I think.

Getting together with 19 other people that are like-minded. That's the goal for me, is to take away some positivity and help CR help create a bond of camaraderie. We talk, I talk about collaboration all the time. Collaboration over competition, because competition is grueling after a while. I mean, totally.

It's awesome. I'm not the smartest person in the room ever, so if I can collab with somebody, you know. I know I'm saying stuff that you believe too, but are you, so, so there's gonna be an event here right in Santa Fe as well? Um, yeah. In November. Um, we're, we're hosting a an A James Beard Dinner, um, which is also the proceeds go to some.

I mean, obviously to us, but then to the James Beard Foundation as well. But, um, it'll be fun. And I get to collab with another chef here in town that, um, I kind of got the, I got the pick, which was fun, or I got to suggest a couple. And, you know, the Beard organization goes through their process on who they want.

You know, to put in this, but, um, Alison Jenkins from Arro Bino will be, um, my collab chef. So she'll get to do two courses and I'll get to do two courses and, and, you know, I'll be, you know, she, she's the guest chef. I'm the featured chef, but it'll be, it'll be fun. And, and I've never collaborated with, with her before.

So I think it'll be, uh, it'll be a cool process. I'm looking forward to it. Well, I've gone to one of those before I went to one. Um. At the Coyote Cafe, I think ma uh, best food. Uh, it was amazing. Yeah, so good. So, um, uh, so I'm gonna tell folks watch what, watch and wait and, and it doesn't matter what the tickets cost, you gotta, you gotta get in there.

Um, so, um, oh, this is, we got it. Let's do, okay. First of all, let's, we haven't talked about this yet. What, um, you talked, you, you've said a lot about sustainability, but what makes the beef that you serve different? I mean, where, where does it come from? Talk about that. Um, I buy from a boutique butcher out of Denver and our.

The goal was, I, I met him in Aspen when he was very first kind of branching outside of the Denver market. He's a third generation Italian butcher. His name is Snookie. Um, he is, uh, he is so talented and, and he cares. And he cares in a way that, um, that I care about what I serve. So he buys from, we don't, we try not to buy from big conglomerates like.

You know, JBS or IVP or whatever, we don't, we don't buy from big producers like that. He buys from smaller co-op run ranches and, and feed feed yards. So we're, you know, he'll bring 'em in and, and then finish the, the, the meat cutting process on 'em. But we know who these people are. We know how they're raising their animals.

We know what they're eating, you know, we know the sustainability of, of what's going on behind the scenes. Is happening the way that we want it to, and it shows in the product. So, you know, one thing that I can say about all of our beef here that we serve, it's all never, ever. So no growth hormones, no antibiotics, no steroids, no anything.

I mean, if basically, if, if, if one of those, one of the animals that we're feeding out gets sick, like they can't get, um, a flu shot to stay in the program. Right. Wow. They can, it's like, uh, an amped up. Basic, uh, ibuprofen to help 'em get over their sickness, but we, we want it to stay as natural as possible.

And you have a New Mexico cut as well, right? I do, yeah. And I buy all of that beef from a ranch outside of Madrid and Golden New Mexico called Lone Mountain Ranch, and they are one of, I think, six ranches in the continental United States that have 100% Japanese bloodlines. Back to Kobe. So, um, and they, they are very serious about their operation out there.

Um, I do tours with my staff out there. I think it's important for, you know, not only my cooks, but the service staff to know, like, this is where this, the meat that we serve, that you guys feature every day in the restaurant, this is where it's raised, this is where it's grown, how it's grown. Um, and it's, you know, it's important that they know that.

Well, and it's part of the culture. I mean, how, how amazing that they get to be part of that culture where they can be proud of everything they're serving. Totally. Yeah. And that they have the, all the information, you know, that there's, there's no, uh, there's no smoke and mirrors, I guess with No, no. Well, how do you want folks to feel when they come to market Sphere?

I, that's one question on this whole outline that I was like, I don't know. I mean, I want 'em to feel the same love that I feel and, and, and satisfaction. Um, you know, I want 'em, I want 'em to feel special. I want it to feel like it's, uh, that it was made from the heart. Well, you do that. So, so thank goodness.

Okay. What about, um, anything new coming up? Um, I'm, I'm actually, we've kind of, we, we do want another concept eventually, but, um, you know, I think right now we're gonna set tight and kind of keep the foot on the gas with, with here at Market Steer for now. You know, the I, the James Beard, all the, all the buzz around that.

Um, you know, I wanna, I wanna enjoy it, not be worried about getting something else going right now. Okay, so we're gonna do the rapid fire round. Alright, all these questions ahead of time, but, okay. Favorite local ingredient? Uh, green or red? Chili easy. What's your go-to meal after a long shift? Oh, you're gonna laugh.

Uh, craft mac and cheese out of a box. I'm, it used to be Vandy camp's, fish sticks, and I had to stop eating those 'cause what? Okay. Craft mac and cheese or maybe a quesadilla, but something that's very minimal for me to cook at home. Well, I, I can cook you the craft mac and cheese. You can come and relax at my house for that.

What, what's Santa Fe's Hidden gym restaurant that people are maybe missing? I bet there's more than one. Yeah. Uh, there's definitely more than one. Um, my, my kind of my go-to is probably Joseph's, I like to set at the bar, you know, there's, there's. You can get everything from, you know, a cup of soup to a fully composed dish.

So I think it kind of has a little something for everybody, but I always think it's executed well. That's a great lamb burger over there, isn't it? The lamb burger. It changed my mind about lamb, actually. Um, best meal you've ever had? Uh, is that a restaurant in Seattle called Bau? If you ever get to Seattle, you should check it out.

It's, they have their own in-house butcher. They have this big chalkboard behind, like on that covers the entire dining room wall and it has the number of stakes that they have available that day and with different cuts and this, and, and they had cuts on there that I had never really seen marketed other than, you know, through a local butcher.

And it, it was, it was really fantastic. And I think we had, we did four or five courses and. We, we walked out and I was like, that's the best smell I've ever had. And I think I could still feel pretty strongly in saying that. Good answer. Okay. What inspires you outside the kitchen? Hmm. I mean, I love adventure and it could be adventure in taking a different hike or going to a different restaurant.

Um, I. I, I, I love to go out to dinner and seeing what other chefs are doing, and that also keeps me inspired here in, in the kitchen and, you know, checking out new places and architecture there. There's so much, but I, you know, Santa Fe's inspiring, just walking outside 'cause you can get a different smell of something, of the seasons changing and it's like, wow, I hadn't thought about, you know, what that sensory does to, to, to me, like this spring, like I walked out the other day and I smelled peas.

Peas growing by my restaurant, but I had that like it was something in my mind and it was just like, you know, that was inspiring. It is very sensory. I hadn't thought about it. I mean, just the light. Yeah. Totally lived here since he was nine years old. We'll still walk down the street and say, look at that light.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Okay. We have to stop at some point. But Kathy, thanks. Thanks. Yeah, for sure. Um, for sharing the story and, and, and for telling us all about, um, what's going on right now, but also where this came from because this is an inspiring story. I mean, you were taking care of mama cows. Now you're running this restaurant.

It's so cool. It's so amazing. Thank you. So everybody, I want you to be sure to check out Market Steer if you haven't been there. I can't believe it. But you do need probably to get a reservation, don't you think? Ka, it helps. It helps. Yes. And mark your calendars for November 12th when Santa Fe hosted some taste American event.

And for our listeners, if you're enjoying this, I mean, this is a new endeavor for us. Instead of doing, I love New Mexico, which, which is what we were gonna do, you know, the first time around. That's when we're gonna have cat on. But if you're enjoying this, don't forget to follow. Right. And share us and.

Especially share this with a foodie friend who's gonna need to know about cat Crew. Thank you so much. Thank you.