Adam Cooke – Executive Chef

Cooking against the idyllic backdrop of the western Montana countryside makes it easy to stay inspired.  Expansive landscapes, dramatic sunsets, violent mountain peaks and invigorating winds are all ingredients in our cooking at Paws Up.  My vision for the cuisine of the New West is one that embraces tradition, farmer relationships and the idea of stewardship.  As Chefs, we hold a responsibility to care for the land, the animals and the plants.  We drive the beginning of those processes with our menu ideas and sourcing practices and it is important that we see these process through and ensure that every step is taken in accord with our values along the way.

I spent yesterday up to my knees in young lambs, piglets, chickens and ducks.  A couple of hours northeast of Paws Up near Choteau Montana you’ll find the Rockport Hutterite Colony and its residents.  With a long history of religious persecution these colonies now exist quietly in private farming communities all over the west and into Canada where they practice a deeply spiritual and non violent way of life.  They hold themselves to a separate set of standards.  Cleanliness is way of life here.  Great importance is placed on the health of the land, the dirt, the grains and the natural water sources to ensure the animals get the best so they in turn can give their best to us.  “It’s got to be right”.  Our friend Jake says that a lot.  He places the emphasis on the word “right” as if it’s in capital letters and his face becomes uncharacteristically serious.  We use the same phrase in the kitchen many times a day and the meaning of the phrase is the same for Jake as it is for us; you don’t take shortcuts no matter what, no matter who’s checking up on you.  Not if it’s cheaper, not if it’s easier.

Jake and his family always feed us too much.  They truly embody hospitality.  We walked to dinner through the garden which has yet to be planted and talked about vegetables.  My foot sank through the topsoil to my ankle.  It was the color of coal and it has a buzz and a smell that told you it was actually alive.  I can’t wait for the carrots.  They taste just like that soil.