Cooking the Wild | Alan Bergo

Jesse Griffiths on Why the Story Matters

Jesse Griffiths spends most of his time between the field and in the kitchen. We talk about how those two things connect, and how that connection shapes the way he cooks, teaches, and thinks about food. There’s a lot in here about the parts people usually rush through. Cleaning an animal. Butchering. Taking your time with it. Jesse has a way of bringing you back to those moments and making them feel worth paying attention to. We get into the instinct to tell the story after a hunt. Where that comes from. Why it sticks with people. And Jesse shares how his work has shifted over the years. Less time in the restaurant. More time writing, teaching, and building things that let him reach more people without losing what matters to him. We also talk about hunting with his daughter, and how that’s changed the way he looks at time in the field. This one moves between Texas and the kitchen, between the field and the table. But it always comes back to the same thing. Pay attention. Don’t skip the important parts.

Cooking the Wild | Alan Bergo

Alan Bergo has built a career around noticing what others overlook. Alan is a chef, author, and forager known for his deep knowledge of wild foods and his ability to bring them into the kitchen in thoughtful, creative ways. Through his work, he has helped thousands of people see forests, fields, and shorelines differently. In this conversation we talk about the craft of foraging, the intelligence of wild plants, and what it means to cook with ingredients that most people have never considered food. Alan shares how he first began exploring wild ingredients, the lessons he learned working in professional kitchens, and how those experiences eventually led him to focus almost entirely on wild food. We talk about: • how to begin learning wild plants • the responsibility that comes with foraging • bringing wild ingredients into the kitchen • why curiosity is the most important skill a cook can develop This episode is about attention. About learning to see what is already around us. And about the quiet thrill of turning something wild into a meal. _____ Silvercore is built on a lifetime spent outdoors, on ranges and in the company of people who live with skill, purpose and integrity.  Here you will find real conversations, fieldcraft, practical training, stories from the wild and the lessons that help us grow mentally and physically.  Whether it is a podcast with someone who has been tested, a tip you can use today or a look behind the scenes, the goal is to help you live stronger, safer and more capable in the outdoors and in life. Guest Links Forager Chef https://foragerchef.com Alan Bergo Instagram https://www.instagram.com/foragerchef Alan Bergo Books https://foragerchef.com/books _____ Silvercore Club members receive exclusive podcast episodes, online courses, insurance for their adventures and discounts on premium gear: https://bit.ly/2RiREb4 Online Training: https://bit.ly/3nJKx7U Training and Services: https://bit.ly/3vw6kSU Merchandise: https://bit.ly/3ecyvk9 Blog: https://bit.ly/3nEHs8W Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bader.tiffany Silvercore Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors Contact: info@silvercore.ca 604 940 7785 www.silvercore.ca All content on this channel is for informational purposes only.  Always follow the law, follow safe handling practices and train with qualified professionals.  Silvercore assumes no liability for the use or misuse of any information shown here. _____ 00:00 Introduction to Alan Bergo 02:40 Discovering wild food 07:30 Learning to see edible plants 13:20 Early kitchen career 20:10 Why chefs are drawn to wild ingredients 28:45 Responsibility in foraging 35:10 Cooking with wild plants 44:20 Mushrooms and the excitement of discovery 52:00 Teaching others about wild food 59:40 Advice for people curious about foraging

The Long Road to Great Charcuterie | Elias Cairo

Great charcuterie doesn’t start in the curing room. It starts with the animal. Elias Cairo has spent most of his life chasing that idea. Elias is the founder of Olympia Provisions in Portland, Oregon, one of the most respected charcuterie producers in North America. What began as a small project has grown into a group of restaurants and curing rooms, but the heart of Olympia Provisions is still a tight knit crew of people committed to doing things the right way. In this conversation, Elias shares the path that brought him there. As a young cook he left North America to apprentice in Switzerland, where food traditions are treated with deep respect and charcuterie is inseparable from farming, animals, and place. When he returned home, he realized that if he wanted to make that kind of product here, he would have to build the systems himself. Finding farmers raising animals the right way. Creating relationships that ensure consistent quality. Building a company culture where everyone understands the responsibility behind the food they produce. Because great charcuterie is not just about technique. It is about people, animals, and the discipline to do things properly. We talk about hunting, wild game, fermentation, patience, and the long pursuit of making food that people trust. Guest Links Olympia Provisions https://www.olympiaprovisions.com Olympia Provisions Instagram https://www.instagram.com/olympiaprovisions Elias Cairo https://www.olympiaprovisions.com/blogs/bios/9641623-elias-cairo _____ Silvercore is built on a lifetime spent outdoors, on ranges and in the company of people who live with skill, purpose and integrity.  Here you will find real conversations, fieldcraft, practical training, stories from the wild and the lessons that help us grow mentally and physically.  Whether it is a podcast with someone who has been tested, a tip you can use today or a look behind the scenes, the goal is to help you live stronger, safer and more capable in the outdoors and in life. Silvercore Club members receive exclusive podcast episodes, online courses, insurance for their adventures and discounts on premium gear: https://bit.ly/2RiREb4 Online Training: https://bit.ly/3nJKx7U Training and Services: https://bit.ly/3vw6kSU Merchandise: https://bit.ly/3ecyvk9 Blog: https://bit.ly/3nEHs8W Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bader.tiffany Silvercore Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors Contact: info@silvercore.ca 604 940 7785 www.silvercore.ca All content on this channel is for informational purposes only.  Always follow the law, follow safe handling practices and train with qualified professionals.  Silvercore assumes no liability for the use or misuse of any information shown here. _____ 00:00 Introduction to Elias Cairo 02:15 First tasting Olympia Provisions 05:10 What real charcuterie is 08:40 Learning from European food culture 14:20 Apprenticeship in Switzerland 20:45 Why great charcuterie starts with the animal 27:30 Hunting and cooking wild game 33:15 The difference between North American and European food traditions 40:50 What makes great salami 49:10 Patience, fermentation, and curing meat 57:30 Building Olympia Provisions 1:05:10 Advice for people who want to make charcuterie

What Happens When Women Stop Playing It Safe

Tana Grenda lives off the road system in remote Alaska, flying bush planes, hunting for food, and raising six kids where mistakes have real consequences. In this episode of The Wild Kitchen, Tiffany Bader sits down with Tana to talk about life without convenience and what that demands from the people living it. They get into fear, risk, and preparation, why skill matters more than confidence, and how time on the land changes the way people think, eat, and move through the world. The conversation spans subsistence food, women-only hunting retreats, physical training, health, and the realities of raising a family far from infrastructure. Tana also shares stories from recent hunts and trips, including time spent in Florida dealing with invasive species and the responsibility that comes with harvesting your own food. This episode is about capability, responsibility, and choosing a life that doesn’t offer many shortcuts. Guest Links 🌿 Grenda’s Getaways (Wild Women’s Retreats & Adventures) — https://www.bristolbayretreats.com/ [https://www.bristolbayretreats.com/] 🎙 Stuck N The Rut Podcast (Hosted by Adam & Tana Grenda) — https://stuckntherut.buzzsprout.com/ [https://stuckntherut.buzzsprout.com/] 📍 Wild Women’s Rendezvous (Event Info) — https://www.bristolbayretreats.com/wwridaho [https://www.bristolbayretreats.com/wwridaho] _____ Silvercore is built on a lifetime spent outdoors, on ranges and in the company of people who live with skill, purpose and integrity. Here you will find real conversations, fieldcraft, practical training, stories from the wild and the lessons that help us grow mentally and physically. Whether it is a podcast with someone who has been tested, a tip you can use today or a look behind the scenes, the goal is to help you live stronger, safer and more capable in the outdoors and in life. Silvercore Club members receive exclusive podcast episodes, online courses, insurance for their adventures and discounts on premium gear: https://bit.ly/2RiREb4 [https://bit.ly/2RiREb4] Online Training: https://bit.ly/3nJKx7U [https://bit.ly/3nJKx7U] Training and Services: https://bit.ly/3vw6kSU [https://bit.ly/3vw6kSU] Merchandise: https://bit.ly/3ecyvk9 [https://bit.ly/3ecyvk9] Blog: https://bit.ly/3nEHs8W [https://bit.ly/3nEHs8W] Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bader.tiffany [https://www.instagram.com/bader.tiffany] Silvercore Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors [https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors] Contact: info@silvercore.ca 604 940 7785 www.silvercore.ca All content on this channel is for informational purposes only.  Always follow the law, follow safe handling practices and train with qualified professionals.  Silvercore assumes no liability for the use or misuse of any information shown here. _____ 00:00 – Meeting Tana and the Wild Women Rendezvous 03:20 – Building the right community and cutting out ego 06:40 – Why women-only spaces work differently 09:30 – Confidence in the outdoors and confidence in life 13:10 – Fear, risk, and being prepared instead of scared 15:40 – Living in Alaska off the road system 22:00 – Subsistence food, logistics, and real costs of remote life 26:10 – Gator, iguana, and python hunting in Florida 34:40 – Wildlife management and cultural disconnects 39:30 – Health coaching, hormones, and women’s training 46:00 – Non-negotiables: sleep, food, movement 49:30 – Training women for backcountry hunts 54:30 – Wild food, inflammation, and listening to your body 59:00 – Why women-only events matter 1:02:30 – Children’s books, hunting stories, and legacy

What Happens When We Actually Look at How Meat Is Made

Jeff Senger left accounting to buy a small slaughterhouse in rural Alberta. What followed was sixteen years of working directly with animals, farmers, hunters, and the realities most of us never see behind plastic-wrapped meat. We talk about what changes when food becomes a commodity, why some meat tastes alive and some doesn’t, and how much control we actually have as eaters. Jeff shares what it’s like to stand on a kill floor, why he believes butchers still matter, and how flavour, ethics, and responsibility are tied together whether we want to admit it or not. Topics include: What slaughter actually looks like and why hiding it matters How feed, age, and handling shape flavor The difference between real butchery and portioning Chronic wasting disease and what responsibility looks like in real life Why whole animals used to feed communities, not markets How trust is built between hunters, farmers, and butchers The Wild Kitchen with Tiffany Bader Ep. 4 🌿 Learn more about Jeff Senger: https://www.instagram.com/jeff_senger/ 🔥 The Wild Kitchen: https://thewildkitchen.transistor.fm https://instagram.com/thewildkitchen _____ Silvercore is built on a lifetime spent outdoors, on ranges and in the company of people who live with skill, purpose and integrity.  Here you will find real conversations, fieldcraft, practical training, stories from the wild and the lessons that help us grow mentally and physically.  Whether it is a podcast with someone who has been tested, a tip you can use today or a look behind the scenes, the goal is to help you live stronger, safer and more capable in the outdoors and in life. Silvercore Club members receive exclusive podcast episodes, online courses, insurance for their adventures and discounts on premium gear: https://bit.ly/2RiREb4 Online Training: https://bit.ly/3nJKx7U Training and Services: https://bit.ly/3vw6kSU Merchandise: https://bit.ly/3ecyvk9 Blog: https://bit.ly/3nEHs8W Host Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bader.tiffany Silvercore Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors Contact: info@silvercore.ca 604 940 7785 www.silvercore.ca All content on this channel is for informational purposes only.  Always follow the law, follow safe handling practices and train with qualified professionals.  Silvercore assumes no liability for the use or misuse of any information shown here. _____ 00:00 – Leaving accounting, buying a slaughterhouse, and why food pulled him in 05:10 – Why meat quality starts long before the kill floor 10:45 – Calm, responsibility, and what it means to take a life seriously 17:40 – Marbling, Wagyu, grass-fed beef, and flavor reality 24:30 – Hobby farming, bad beef, and uncomfortable truths 31:15 – What modern butcher shops often aren’t doing anymore 38:50 – Tenderloin myths, forgotten cuts, and education fatigue 46:10 – Waste, culture, and what’s been lost 55:40 – Chronic Wasting Disease Explained Honestly.What Jeff has seen firsthand and how to think clearly about risk 1:10:30 – Why Europe Treats Food Differently 1:18:45 – Teaching Kids Where Food Comes From 1:27:00 – Why Buying Less Meat Might Matter More 1:36:20 – Trade, Sharing, and Old Food Economies 1:43:50 – What Jeff Hopes People Actually Take From This