About Us

Our Story

Ours is a story of connection. To the soil. To Mother Earth. And to the thread of trust between us as producers, and to you. When you buy our lamb meat online, or find something you love from our shop, you’re strengthening your connection to nature, supporting family-run businesses and bringing home something truly special.

Our Team

Pure Bred was born from a partnership between Keith Martin, of Elysian Fields Farm, and Chef Thomas Keller. Their foundational belief is that all living things should be treated respectfully and that you should know where your ingredients come from.

Keith Martin left a career in investment banking for greener pastures on Elysian Fields Farm and never looked back. He grew a small Pennsylvania lamb farm into a growing collection of farmers who follow his patented Safe Alternative® Method for raising lamb.

Chef Thomas Keller is proprietor of three-Michelin-starred restaurants The French Laundry and Per Se, as well as Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery in Yountville and Las Vegas, Ad Hoc, La Calenda and The Surf Club Restaurant. In addition to his reputation for excellence, he is known for his strong connections to — and reverence for — his purveyors.

“The act of cooking is a simple equation,” says Chef Keller: “Ingredients plus execution.” While chefs can control their execution, ingredients are, in a sense, finished by the time they reach the kitchen: they are either exceptional, or they’re not. By engaging in the process at the source, Chef Keller is able to ensure that the ingredients he uses are up to his standards.

Our Safe
Alternative®
Method

Every Pure Bred farmer follows the same objective standards spelled out by our patented Safe Alternative® Method, a highly strategic quality control system that ensures the best possible lamb meat for sale.

Each aspect of every lamb’s lifecycle is noted, and when they join the flock, Pure Bred lambs are assigned a unique alpha-numeric identification number to help us monitor their health and well-being.

All lambs are fed only natural grain without the presence of growth hormones or stimulants, and hay that is tested to ensure adequate nutrient levels. Additionally, the water each lamb drinks is also tested routinely to ensure its purity.

These identification techniques and practices help establish a through-line of information for you.

OUR HISTORY

our standards
& core values

OUR FAMILY OF FARMS

At a Glance

We set out with the simple goal of establishing the best-possible lamb farm. Along the way, we ended up developing a patented system for managing livestock that challenges convention, leads by example and cultivates respect for the source of our food.

Most important are the advantages for you: We want to show you where your food is coming from, to inspire confidence in your ingredients and strengthen your connection to the natural world.