For over a decade chef Sheila Lucero, culinary director of Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar, has focused on sustainable seafood, and now, she’s going further and teaming up with Thistle Whistle Farm in Hotchkiss.
“From early on we have always had good guest engagement and curiosity, which helped inspire us to dig deep into these [sourcing] stories,” said Lucero, who works for Big Red F Restaurant Group (Post Chicken & Beer, West End Tavern, Centro Mexican Kitchen). “Whether it’s a farmer here in Colorado that we partner with, or fish in season, people are really interested in it.”
Recently the menu highlighted goods from the farm partnership, including green garlic, the special ingredient on a cashew shrimp stir fry and mignonette for oysters, among other creations. Come the end of the month diners may see Chimayo Peppers and Melrose Sweet Peppers gracing specials.
“As long as Jax has been open we have been mindful of where we are sourcing the food from,” said Lucero. “For us, when speaking on seafood, we just want to be able to continue to do what we do for years to come, and preserve these species of fish by making the right choices.”
In 2013 the chef joined the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch’s Blue Ribbon Task Force, a group of 52 culinary figures involved in sustainable seafood advocacy. It’s the organization that tells consumers what fish is good to eat, and what they should avoid. At the time, added Lucero, the founders were surprised an inland state would be so invested in seafood sustainability. But, she said, as a seafood restaurant it’s important to make sure future generations have access to the ocean’s bounty too.
The same can be said for produce. But instead of worrying about the extinction of kale, beets, and garlic, it’s about supporting local farmers and regenerating the land in order to continue to grow good food. That’s where Mark Waltermire’s Hotchkiss farm comes in.
Thistle Whistle has been a vendor the restaurant group has sporadically worked with through the years, said Lucero. At one point, before she took charge, the restaurants hosted some farm dinners with Waltermire. Lucero wanted to open that relationship back up, which is why she reached out last year to see what they could do.
“We wanted to find out if they would be interested in growing things for us, so we came up with a list,” said the chef. “We are open to anything and he [Waltermire] is one of those farmers that’s open to growing anything.”
Of course like any farm, produce doesn’t always work out. For example, Lucero wanted pearl onions, but Waltermire reached out and said the crop didn’t come to fruition. So the team moved on to the small cipollini onions and potatoes. While it’s more difficult to plan around the ups and downs of a farm, Lucero said it’s worth the trouble in order to support a small local operation.
“With the pearl onions we had a plan but we will pivot and see what he comes up with,” said Lucero over the phone. “We are flexible in that sense.”
She added the dishes Jax runs depends on the quality of ingredients, and while the farm can give an approximate amount of produce, it’s not set in stone. For example the green garlic, which Jax got 100 pounds of. While it may seem like a lot, it’s not when considering the five restaurants. In this case, the Thistle Whistle goods went on select specials.
Also new to the menu are oysters from Cypress Point Oyster Company in Florida. These Gulf oysters, said Lucero, aren’t the usual giant bivalves associated with the area. Raised on a small farm by Jody Houk, the petite oysters are deep cupped, plump, and buttery. They are called Little Honeys for a reason, the chef added. Due to the partnership with Thistle Whistle, guests now have the option to put on a seasonal mignonette, though the chef personally likes them naked.
Visit any of the Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar locations for a taste of what Lucero and the culinary team is churning out. It’s a great excuse to sample fresh Colorado produce from Thistle Whistle Farm and these sustainable new oysters, which, said the chef, sell out each week.
