When Chicago Chefs Want Beef, They Call The Dietzlers

Pat LaFrieda sure gets a lot of press on the East Coast. The celeb butcher has made the rounds on most of the food shows, and his name is used as a calling card of sorts among the country’s finer chefs. But visit any noteworthy restaurant in Chicago, and you’re likely to see the name “Dietzler” on the menu. That’s because Dietzler Farms has quietly become the go-to source for all-natural beef in the Midwest.

Vie, Perennial Virant, The Publican, Province, you name it. The city’s best chefs are all now name-checking Dietzler on their menus. I was in Elkhorn, Wisconsin about a month ago, and stopped by to chat with Bob Dietzler about his cattle, his methodology and the challenges in raising an all-natural product while meeting increased demand.