Jesse Griffiths

Jesse Griffiths is a pioneer of Austin’s farm-to-table movement and a passionate hunter, fisherman, and butcher. He is chef/co-owner of Dai Due, which was first established as a supper club in 2006, and grew into a full-service butcher shop and restaurant in 2014. In 2024, Dai Due earned a Michelin Green Star for its commitment to sustainability.

Driven by a mission to preserve & teach food traditions, Jesse founded the New School of Traditional Cookery in 2006—offering in-person immersive classes in hunting, fishing, butchery, and preserving local foods. He’s also an award-winning author: his first cookbook Afield: A Chef’s Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish (2012) was James Beard–nominated, and The Hog Book: A Chef’s Guide to Hunting, Preparing and Cooking Wild Pigs won a James Beard Award in 2022.

Jesse’s work centers on deep regional sourcing—relying on Texas meats, fruits, and vegetables—and using techniques like drying, fermenting, smoking, and whole-animal butchery to reduce waste and honor the harvest.

His latest venture, The Pedernal Project, extends that ethos online with uncensored, practical instruction — from wild game to seafood to vegetables — giving members access to an ever-growing catalog of tutorials, recipes, and essays that illuminate the real value of these resources.