The 2022 culinary artists:

The Wild Table

Chef Sheena Ernst

Raised in northern Wyoming, Chef Sheena Ernst knew the surrounding Beartooth mountains as her backyard. After attending the Univiersity of Wyoming, she moved to London and attended Gordan Ramsay’s culinary school at Tante Marie, Le Cordon Bleu program. Living and working in Europe for several years influenced her unique style of European flavors with an attention to local Montana ingredients. Chef Ernst is in her sixth year as owner of The Wild Table: a small bistro in downtown Red Lodge serving breakfast, lunch, playing host to cooking classes, private events and going off-site for large catering jobs. The restaurant and Red Lodge were recently featured in Ski Town Brunch:  a third cookbook in the Ski Town cookbook collection from 65 North American ski towns resorts. Chef Ernst is an adjunct instructor at MSU Bozeman and Gallatin College Culinary School in Bozeman, where she enjoys passing on the love and knowledge of cooking and good food. 

The Wild Table will be serving an appetizer.

Mas Taco

Chef Mike Muirhead

Mike unknowingly started his career as a chef at the age of 14 when he took his first kitchen job.  This career has spanned continents affording him the travel he loves (Italy, France, Australia and both coasts of the US) and landed him in some well admired positions such as; Sous Chef to Wolfgang Puck’s Spago Beverly Hills; Kitchen Lead of the Academy Awards; Sous Chef to Master Chef Norbert Schultz; Baker and Pastry Chef at Café Brioche in New England; and Owner/Chef of Safire, Camarillo and Mas Taco, Red Lodge. The pride of his cooking style are in the ingredients he uses and the technique with which they are prepared. Even though he has established himself at Mas Taco in Red Lodge, he still loves to create menus of all flavor profiles from across the globe.  A shining moment was the recognition from a random Mas Taco visitor that left him with a James Beard semifinalist award two years running. 

Mas Taco will be serving the soup course.

One Legged Magpie

Kat & Mike Porco with Chef Nicholas Morris

Kat & Mike Porco gave new life to a local watering hole in 2021 when One Legged Magpie was born.  Serving pre-prohibition style cocktails and unique draught beers & wines in a classy ambiance with exposed brickwall & antique, embossed ceiling.  Their bistro fair and specialty pizzas provide a foundation for their rotating food menu.  And the chandelier’d ballroom upstairs has become the premier music venue in Red Lodge.  Chef Nicholas Morris has been on the OLM team since day one, bringing his culinary vision from his time at the Modern and ABC Kitchen in New York City as well as Quintonil in Mexico City.

One Legged Magpie will be serving an appetizer.

Hardwood Smokehouse

Randy Krall & Jeff Brame

Hardwood Smokehouse is the culinary vision of Jeff Brame and Randy Krall, longtime Red Lodge locals. They wanted to bring their passion for smoked foods to the community, starting with a typical smokehouse concept and adding in some special mountain flare. Using flavorful hickory wood, they offer a rotating menu of smoked meats and unique side dishes for lunch and dinner.

Hardwood Smokehouse will be serving an entree.

Marli’s at The Pollard

Tom & Eliza Kuntz

Marli's is housed in the historic Pollard Hotel, which has been Red Lodge's hub since originally built in 1893. Marli's is newly renovated but still envelops the rich, historic character. Marli's is known for a variant of classic breakfasts, made-from-scratch dinners, and craft cocktails you won't find anywhere else.

Marli’s at The Pollard will be serving an entree.

Cattail Bakery

Lauren Brophy

Lauren Brophy was born and raised in Montana and has lived in Red Lodge for six years.  She and her father, Matt Brophy opened Cattail Bakery almost four years ago.  Lauren has a passion for hands-on creative work and baking has been an important part of her life since she was little. Her mother worked in bakeries most of her life and as a child Lauren often spent hours in these bakeries dreaming of becoming a baker someday.  Years later she gained valuable experience working at the Sweetgrass Bakery in Helena. She continued her formal training at the San Francisco Baking Institute in 2018.  Opening Cattail Bakery has been one of her most rewarding ventures and she is thrilled to be a part of the Red Lodge community.

Cattail Bakery will be serving dessert.

West Fork Water Kefir

Katie Zimmer

Born n’ raised in Red Lodge, Montana, Katie Zimmer a former ski racer and ski coach, knew the Beartooth Mountains would be the perfect place to brew gut-healing water kefir. Also having over 20 years experience in the service industry, Katie thought it was imperative to create a product that both served the community and served the symbiotic community of bacteria and yeast in your gut. Life is hard when you don’t trust your gut. Get gutsy & help your gut by drinking West Fork Water Kefir, naturally designed to help you feel better.

West Fork Water Kefir will be sampling the goods.