For what, you may ask? The ultimate Michelin star restaurant meat tour. The venue? Your kitchen. The headlining star? MeatCrafters, of course.
Grab your pen and paper and take note of these three delicious Michelin star restaurants that feature unique dishes and multiple awards each.
Don’t worry if you don’t live nearby to each of them – we have substitutions you can make at home. We’ve got your back (and your meat products)!
Vinum
First on the docket is Vinum in New York City. It is well known for its wine selection, though we’re in it for the food.
The Executive Chef here (Massimo Felici) brings small menu items (think Tapas) with an Italian flair to the table - literally.
The menu items are specifically crafted to be shared with others based on his personal family dining experience. Vinum is listed on the 2021 Bib Gourmand list (NYC) with other Michelin favorite restaurants.
Those who aren’t familiar with the Bib Gourmand list include restaurants that offer good quality food at more affordable prices than typical Michelin star restaurants.
One of the popular menu items you would find here is the Shoemaker’s Chicken and Sausage. This dish is served with chicken, sweet fennel sausage, wine and lemon sauce, garlic, rosemary, pepperoncini, and sweet peppadew peppers.
Here’s how to recreate this insanely tasty dish at home – grab some of our Chicken Basil Sausages (not the same as bone-in chicken, but equally delicious!), white wine, olive oil, lemon, butter, fresh herbs, pepperoncini, and sweet peppadew peppers.
Grab your nearest skillet and add in some oil and butter, and heat with the herbs. You’ll want to add your sliced chicken basil sausages in and brown them. Remove the sausage when browned, slice, and leave to the side.
Add remaining ingredients to the pan and simmer for a few minutes. Add your sausage back in and serve – voila!
Gather
This incredible restaurant is based out of Chicago, Illinois. Expect to find food that is more of a modern style here.
Ken Carter (Executive Chef and partner) has joined together with David Breo to create an intimate environment at this Michelin star restaurant.
There are offerings of a-la-carte menu items and even Sunday night – family night meals to share with your loved ones.
Gather received the Bib Gourmand in both 2014 and 2015. They were also featured in a WTTW segment called “Check, Please!” in 2014 with interviews from locals who had experienced the restaurant in person.
Gather is loved for its open kitchen views during the dining experience and the seasonal menu featuring fresh, locally sourced items.
Mafaldine Pasta is a lovely dish to try here. It features fava beans, lamb meatballs, garlic and parmesan cream, fava puree, caramelized leeks, and lemon zest.
Are you drooling yet? We sure are! Here’s an idea so you can recreate this dish at home. Grab fava beans, garlic, parmesan, heavy cream, butter, leeks, a lemon, and our Duck and Pork Sausage. While the duck and pork sausage is obviously not the same meat as lamb, it will still provide a delicious taste and richness to the dish.
Create the garlic and parmesan cream by combing heavy cream, garlic, parmesan, and salt/pepper in a saucepan. Simmer until the cream is thick. On the side, you’ll want to create fava puree by blending fava beans and seasonings – add a few splashes of beef broth or water in until the desired texture is reached.
Slice your leeks and brown them in a pan with butter – ensuring to consistently stir them. Add in your duck and pork sausage (sliced) and cook through. Add the fava beans in (ensuring they are fresh or cooked) and cook until brown.
You’re ready to plate – assemble the cream first, then the sausage, leeks, and fava beans, drizzle the puree on top, and add lemon zest. Enjoy!
Mille Fleurs
You’ll find this restaurant nestled in Rancho Santa Fe, California. This Michelin star restaurant has been in business for thirty years and continues to thrive.
This restaurant is hailed for its piano bar, romantic lit-up patio, and European-style available food. Mille Fleurs has been named on the Top 25 Restaurants in America list.
The kitchen in this restaurant is headed by Michael Moritz and Papa Moussa, with Moritz as Executive Chef and Moussa as Executive Pastry Chef.
They work collaboratively to provide an updated menu seasonally while centering around French-style cooking with a California flair.
Close enough to head to the restaurant? Give their Colorado Lamb Osso Bucco a try. The dish offers lamb over creamy polenta and braising jus. What about if you’re not close enough? Give this recipe an at-home makeover – check out our take below.
Swap the lamb shanks for our Rosemary Lamb Sausages. You’ll also need polenta, heavy cream, butter, and fresh herbs (like thyme and rosemary). Slice up your rosemary lamb sausages and add to a pan with water and fresh herbs. You’ll want to simmer this on low so the liquid can become a braising jus.
While the sausages are cooking, add your polenta, water, and butter into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes.
Once the liquid is absorbed, add in your heavy cream and salt/pepper. Cook for a few additional minutes – it should be a thick consistency. Serve your meat over the creamy polenta, and don’t forget to add some braising jus on top!
Don’t be afraid to jump on the tour bus and try a few of our different meat products. They’re easy to substitute into any dish (even Michelin star dishes!). With our variety of meat and sausage products - you can feel like an executive chef in your own home. Happy cooking!
Make sure you upload your recipes and cooking tips to social media and tag us! We love to hear from our fans and see what YOU create with the MeatCrafters products. Who knows, maybe we will feature your custom creation on our social media! You could be the next MEAT MASTER!
At MeatCrafters, we say, "inspired by tradition, naturally." People shouldn't have to worry about the quality of their food and whether it contains harmful ingredients.
You should be able to sit down for a meal knowing that your food contains only all-natural, fresh ingredients. That's why we created MeatCrafters and our line of salamis, cured meats and sausages. Our collection will satisfy even the most discerning of palates.
"Excellent customer service. This is a company you need to support. Great food and will definitely be purchasing more in the future. Thanks!" — Quinten
We care about making our products tasty and healthy for you. Using only the highest-quality ingredients, locally sourced and produced in small batches – MeatCrafters is just pure stomach happiness.
"Just get this meat in your mouth ...you can thank me later! As a food professional, I'm not at all reluctant to give these folks three huge thumbs up!"
"MeatCrafters participates in the Saturday Rockville Pike market and the Sunday Bethesda market. Their bratwurst is fantastic!!! I say that as someone who both grew up in Wisconsin and has lived in Germany. Their landjaeger is also great, and something I've not really seen outside of Wisconsin."
"Not only was I impressed with the facilities and the employees' enthusiasm for their products, but I was impressed with the samples I had while there."
"Thank you for your great products. I love your sausages. Your cold packaging is nice and neat for long distant shipment 📦"
ALL NATURAL MEATS
We only use REAL naturally ingredients. Our meats are free of antibiotics and growth hormones. If you can pronounce all of the ingredients on the labels, then you know its healthy! So enjoy our sausages worry free!
HANDMADE IN SMALL BATCHES
Each product is carefully crafted by hand in small batches. We grind and blend our spices fresh every morning.