Rusty Bowers is a butcher, chef, and educator whose work is grounded in whole animal utilization and a deep respect for how food is raised, prepared, and shared.

He trained at the Culinary Institute of America and began his career in fine-dining kitchens in the U.S. and abroad, where precision and technique shaped his early approach. The work was exacting and rewarding, but over time it led to a different question—where food actually comes from, and what it takes to do it well from the start.

As that question deepened, it became clear how much distance had developed between people and their food. Production had become more centralized, and with it, much of the connection to farms, animals, and process had been lost.

That perspective sharpened through early relationships with farmers, particularly Riverview Farms in North Georgia. Experiencing their heritage pork firsthand made it clear what was possible—how good meat can be when it’s raised with care, fed well, and handled with intention from start to finish.

That shift led him into traditional butchery, where the work is slower, more deliberate, and more directly connected to the animal, the farms, and the process itself.

Today, Rusty focuses on the full arc of the work—from sourcing and breaking down animals to helping people understand how to cook and use them well. His approach emphasizes discipline, consistency, and using the whole animal with intention.