Meet Me at the Wagon

The flavors of southwestern cuisine may vary, but the chefs behind it share a passion for the community it brings. Friends, and the fathers of Southwestern Cuisine, Chef Dean Fearing (author of The Texas Food Bible) and Acclaimed Chef Stephn Pyles (12 time Outstanding Chef In America nominee by the Beard Foundation), call in to share their experiences in the food industry.

An offer to cater at the James Beard House launched Perini Ranch Steakhouse on a series of events that would bring their recognition to an international level. Tom and Lisa Perini recount core moments in the steakhouse’s history that would put them on a trajectory that would add a whole new facet to the business; mail order beef. Special guest Marian Burros, former Food Editor at the New York Times, shares her discovery of a mixup that would lead to a prize-winning tenderloin.

When Tom Perini took over the family land, he would soon learn that ranching isn’t for everyone. Jon Means, a Fourth generation rancher and past president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raiser’s Association visits the ranch, along with fellow rancher and former director of the National Cattleman’s Association, John Dudley. Settle in as these longtime friends talk about the importance of cattle ranching in Texas and in the country as a whole.

Before Buffalo Gap was host to Perini Ranch Steakhouse, thousands of buffalo would make their way through as part of the Great Western Trail. After a long day’s ride, chuckwagons were an essential part to those driving the herds. Historian Jay Moore, author of Abilene A to Z and producer of the Abilene history documentary series History in Plain Sight, sheds some light on an age-old feud between Abilene and Buffalo Gap. Entertainer Red Steagall, the “Official Cowboy Poet of Texas,” joins Tom Perini to discuss life on the trail and chuckwagon culture.