“If you’re going to kill the animal, it seems only polite to use the whole thing.”
-Fergus Henderson, Nose to Tail Eating
Michael Dene and the culinary artists at his trio of Long Beach establishments—Michael’s on Naples, Michael’s Pizzeria, and Chianina—are coordinating with one another to invite new diners and well-versed foodies alike to partake in the growing experience of “whole animal” menus, come June 6.
The whole animal movement within the culinary world is nothing new, with L.A. staples Tender Greens and Haven Gastropub having had massive success with their dinners that serve nose-to-tail courses of an entire pig or lamb, while make-your-reservation-two-months-ahead highbrow joints like DTLA’s Bestia offer some of the best suckling pig this side of the Mississippi.
The movement stems from two points, one philosophical and one material. For the former, it is about how removed we as consumers have become from our food sources: meat comes wrapped up in clear, clean little packages, leaving people alienated from the animal itself as well as the butcher who has to provide the skill to provide consumers the meat; it industrializes both food and animals. For the latter point, during this process of alienation, the many edible-but-undesirable parts (because they don’t look pretty in packaging) hit the butchery floor. This creates not only a vast amount of waste in a time when food is dwindling in supply as populations boom, but also limits our ability to experience different tastes and dishes.
Pig cheeks. Beef tongue. Lamb brains. Rabbit liver. Pork spleen. For most Americans, these (delicious) parts of the animal have become removed from our culinary lexicon altogether, instead being added to our mental list of “things that aren’t food.”
For any chef—including Chef Dave Coleman of Michael’s and Dene himself—this is a partly depressing, partly unethical approach to food. This is why they are pairing with Devil’s Gulch, a humane and sustainable farm in Marin County. Together, they will serve guests several courses involving whole pig, lamb, quails, and rabbit.
“Our philosophy has always been about freshness, creativity and innovation,” said Dene. “We look forward to creating the best dishes and elevating the dining experiences throughout the region for all our guests. Devil’s Gulch is a tremendous partner and we’re thrilled that they are able to work with us to bring this to Michael’s on Naples, Michael’s Pizzeria and Chianina Steakhouse.”