Celebrating American Lamb

Lamb may seem like a spring ingredient, but it is produced in nearly every state. That means fresh, American lamb is available year-round for an amazing variety of delicious recipes.

There is a story behind every bite of American lamb you take. Before it ever makes it to your table, American lamb is raised by skilled farmers across the country from pastoral grasslands, to high country meadows.

This class is nothing short of a celebration of American lamb. Many home cooks love lamb when they go out, but remain intimidated to try their hand with this versatile protein at home. That’s why we designed this class.

In a first-ever partnership with Sur La Table, the American Lamb Board’s “Shepherd-to-Chef” campaign will join us to host a cooking class series sharing the basics of lamb cuts, butchery, prep tips and cooking techniques with easy but elegant recipes featuring local lamb.

For this class, Shepherd Lisa Webster from North Star Sheep Farm will join Chef Kerry Heffernan, Executive Chef at South Gate to help students prepare a menu that will introduce them to the unlimited possibilities available to them with lamb.

Kerry Heffernan, Executive Chef at South Gate
After spending a year cooking and traveling throughout Europe, Kerry returned to New York City, honing his skills at such highly regarded restaurants as Montrachet, Le Régence, Restaurant Bouley and served as Sous Chef, working with Chef Tom Colicchio at Mondrian before landing his first job as Chef de Cuisine at One Fifth Avenue.

In 1998, Kerry became the opening Executive Chef and eventually partner at Union Square Hospitality Group's Eleven Madison Park. Under his leadership, the restaurant received accolades from a wide variety of sources, including a tie with Per Se on Zagat Survey's "Top 20 Most Popular Restaurants in New York," The James Beard Foundation's Award for Outstanding Service in America, Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence and Esquire Magazine's "Best New Restaurant."