From MeatStock to the Kitchen: Bridging the Gap Between Knowing and Doing

We’re heading home from MeatStock with full hearts - and a lot to think about.

Being surrounded by so many people deeply committed to how they eat was incredibly energizing. While many follow a strict carnivore approach, what stood out most were the conversations. Over and over again, people came up to us to share that they’ve been following along with what we’re building at Modern Stone Age for years. They talked about how much it’s helped them think differently about food - not just what to eat, but how to actually make it work in their everyday lives.

Because that’s the real challenge.

It’s one thing to understand how you should eat. It’s another thing entirely to source it, prepare it, and bring it into your home in a way that’s sustainable - for you and your family.

A Moment We Didn’t Expect

One of the most unexpected moments of the weekend came during Bill’s keynote. When he mentioned that we run the Modern Stone Age Kitchen, the room - filled with over a thousand people - broke into applause. It caught us completely off guard. We didn’t realize how many people in that space already knew about what we’re doing.

It was one of those moments that made us pause and think - this work is reaching further than we see day to day.

And then, almost in parallel, we had another moment of clarity back home.

Bill talking about the Modern Stone Age Kitchen at MeatStock

Seeing Our Work Through a Different Lens

Chris Glendenning with cured bacon he made

This spring, our Washington College intern, Chris Glendenning, wrote his final paper on the Modern Stone Age Kitchen and Food Lab. What he did was something we’ve never taken the time to do ourselves - he stepped back and looked at our work through a broader lens.

In his paper, Chris connects what we’re doing to larger business frameworks—Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).

Not as buzzwords. Not as trends.

But as real, functioning systems that build trust, strengthen communities, and create long-term value.

He points out that while many businesses adopt these frameworks because of outside pressure, what’s happening at Modern Stone Age is different. These principles are not something we’ve layered on top - they’re embedded in how we operate every day. From sourcing with local farms and prioritizing quality over cost, to teaching people how to reconnect with their food, to creating a workplace that invests in people and community - it’s all part of the same system.

And the truth is - we’ve never called it that.

We’ve just been doing the work because we believe it’s the right thing to do.

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When You Zoom Out, It’s Bigger Than Us

Seeing it reflected back to us in this way was eye-opening.

Because when you step back, you realize something bigger is happening.

There is a growing group of people who know how they want to eat.

They understand the importance of real food. They’re thinking about sourcing, quality, and health. They’re questioning what’s available in the grocery store and looking for something better.

But there’s still a gap. A gap between knowing and doing.

Between understanding and actually implementing.

Between a weekend like MeatStock - and what shows up on your plate on a Tuesday night at home.

That’s the space we’re working in.

Not just talking about food - but teaching people how to actually live it!!!

Christina, Alyssa and Bill at MeatStock

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If this resonates with you, this is exactly why we built Ancestral Table.

A place where you can learn:

• how to source real ingredients

• how to cook every cut

• how to use traditional techniques in a modern kitchen

• and how to make this way of eating sustainable for your life and your family

Grab a seat with us!