Last week my wife and I traveled to Hyde Park, New York, to participate in a chef’s conference hosted at the Culinary Institute of America. It’s been quite some time since we’ve had the chance to visit our Alma Mater. Wow, has that place grown since graduation back in the Dark Ages! Although the curriculum has evolved greatly and the facilities have taken on a new look and new sponsors, the overall feel was the same. Young, eager-to-learn students hustling through the heartbeat of beautifully renovated Roth Hall, the new outlying facilities, walking the beautiful grounds overlooking the Hudson River or in class in one of the many well-equipped working kitchens.

While attending CIA, my wife and I lived off campus up in Rhinebeck, so we thought it would be fun to stay at a B&B close to our old home. That area has also grown tremendously with an array of restaurants and local watering holes. As we settled in for the evening, our hosts at the inn enlightened us to some of the new attractions in the area that they thought would be of interest to us as chefs. They asked if we had heard about the 24-hour meat-vending machines that were in nearby Stone Ridge. Seriously? That is something I will have to see for myself, I said to my wife.

I love the entrepreneurial spirit of a small company. They started out as a small butcher shop working with whole animals. They were only two people and just sold products wholesale. As their reputation grew and they gained accolades for having high-quality meats and expertly trimmed cuts for fair prices, they embarked on a greater vision. How could they expand their business, create more revenue without taking on a too much debt and overhead? Going through the pains of a formal business plan eventually brought them to the conclusion that a second storefront was too much of a financial burden. The birth of the meat-vending machine was adopted. With a relatively lower-cost investment and some small renovations, they could have their refrigerated products available to all 24 hours a day, making their business sustainable as well as adding a new profit center. Basically, they're copying an old platform styled after an automated kiosk.

Running late and you didn’t have time to get to the grocery store for unexpected company? Have a 2 am craving for standing rib roast or maybe a dry-aged NY strip? Just slide your credit card in, make your selection and you’re on your way. I thought this was one of the best lower costs ideas I’ve seen in quite some time. My query this week is: would you buy meat from a vending machine?

Live well…

Select 3A For Ribeye, 2B for Filet Mignon

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