Meet Matt Bander EAST 7TH MEAT & SEAFOOD MANAGER
GET TO KNOW YOUR CO-OP FAMILY How long have you been working at the co-op, and what brought you here originally? I’ve been working at the co-op for three years. I originally applied to be a sausage maker because it was so different from anything that anyone I knew was doing. Learning an Old-World trade was the opposite direction a lot of my friends were going, but it sounded like an interesting job. What is the most rewarding part of your job? Getting to use my creativity and love for cooking to make new recipes for the co-op's Market Made brats and sausages. I also love having the opportunity to create new, fresh Meat & Seafood display cases every day.
What are your favorite seasonal specialty meats? The corned beef we make in-house for St. Paddy’s Day; the French-style rib roasts we make for Christmas; and the local, free-range turkeys we sell for Thanksgiving are all amazing, but nothing compares to the seasonal specialty brats we make in the summer.
Do you have any insider Meat & Seafood tips to share with co-op shoppers? My number-one tip is to brine any large What do you love most about working at the co-op? cut of meat (not fish) for at least three I always feel proud seeing how much we positively affect the lives of small, local hours before you cook it. This could farmers. I love knowing that Mustard Seed Farm is driving a new van because of be a pork roast, a brisket, or a whole the products they sell here, and farmers we work with can take vacations because chicken. You’ll be amazed by the flavor they’re confident we’ll buy their products at a fair price on a regular basis. difference. Another thing shoppers may not know is that we do everything In what ways are your personal values reflected in your work at the co-op? in-house — all sausage, ground meat, I put a strong emphasis on making the most of an animal that has given its and fresh cuts are made, butchered, and life to become our food. Being a full-service butcher shop is very important packaged by our amazing Meat staff. to me because it allows the co-op to make sausage out of excess meat, lard out of excess fat, and broth out of excess bones so nothing goes to waste. INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR CO-OP TEAM? VIEW AND APPLY FOR JOB OPENINGS AT MSMARKET.COOP/CAREERS THE MEDLEY | 5
