MILLERTON — Just four months after opening a fast-food eatery in the former McDonald’s on Main Street, Tallow co-owner Austin Cornell has rebranded the restaurant as Pasture Kitchen and expanded the menu, following customer feedback on pricing and dietary options.
“We had a very small menu that a lot of people came to love, but we realized we weren’t serving the full breadth of dietary needs people were looking for,” said Cornell, who opened the restaurant alongside head chef Nate Long in April.
While the rebrand comes on the heels of the official opening, Cornell joked, “Patience isn’t one of my virtues.” When he realized the restaurant was quickly outgrowing its original identity, he acted with urgency. “I felt like there was no time to waste.”
Early feedback from customers catalyzed the team to rethink their identity as a fast-food brand. With elegant dishes popping up on the menu — like grilled peach burrata salad and steak frites — Cornell said the evolution was natural. “We decided to rebrand according to who we already were, but who we wanted to be in the future.” The duo also expanded the menu to increase options for vegetarian and gluten-free diets.
Cornell describes his partner Long as the creative force behind the menu. The two first met during the pandemic in Virginia, where Long, with 12 years in fine dining, had made a name for himself with elaborate 12-course private dinners. In the summer of 2024, when Cornell decided to open a restaurant in Millerton, he immediately thought back to that dinner — and to Long.
Within weeks, Long agreed to take a chance on the venture and relocated to the Hudson Valley. “He took a huge leap moving here and joining this project,” Cornell said. “I had the ingredient standards and the name, and Nate designed the entire menu from there.”
With Tallow’s original tagline, “Real Food, Real Fast,” Pasture Kitchen will stay true to its founding mission but broaden its horizons. Their commitment to organic, “real food” without the use of pesticides or artificial ingredients persists. The new name aims to evoke nature and scratch-cooked food — sourced from the earth and made in-house.
And made in-house it is. Pasture Kitchen receives a 100% grass-fed cow every two weeks and uses the whole animal to honor its life. Delivered fresh in 80-pound parts called “primals,” the meat is butchered in-house into ground beef, the fat is rendered into tallow and the bones are simmered for bone broth. Premium cuts go into steak frites, while brisket and short ribs make up The Melt. They also make their own buns, sauces and pickles.
A new mural on the outside wall draws attention to the restaurant's rebrand. Texas-based muralist Cade Kegerreis designed and painted the mural depicting a realistic scene meant to honor livestock and agriculture.Photo by Aly Morrissey
That whole-animal approach connects directly to Cornell’s own food journey. His passion developed in high school while working at Subway. “While you can’t classify that as ‘real food,’” he said, “I switched from eating really gluttonous, ultra-processed food to minimally processed real food.” In six months, he lost 60 pounds, alleviated chronic health issues and watched his energy and metabolism skyrocket.
After learning more about the problems with the food system and the impact of ultra-processed foods on metabolic health, Cornell was inspired. “I wanted to play a part in fixing our food system. And I wanted to start small and local, right here where I live.” He considered creating an app or social group but ultimately decided he wanted to make and serve real food directly.
“That’s when I realized I had to start a restaurant because it felt like the highest impact I could have on a local level.”
Asked why Millerton was the perfect spot, Cornell responded passionately. “It’s got a great community and we’re surrounded by regenerative and organic farmers, which is very rare in the country. It’s such a blessing to be surrounded by farmers who are growing according to nature.”
Pasture Kitchen’s roster of farm partners is growing steadily. What began as a 12-farm partnership has expanded to about 30 since April. Two of the main partners, Chaseholm Farms in Pine Plains and Autumn’s Harvest Farm in Romulus, employ 100% grass-fed practices that prioritize both the environment and animal welfare, with regenerative agriculture methods at the core of their approach. Pasture Kitchen sources produce from local farms like Thistle Pass Farm right in Millerton.
In addition to a new name and more diverse menu, visitors will notice a wall-sized mural on the outside of the building. Commissioned from Texas-based muralist Cade Kegerreis, the artwork depicts a realistic scene honoring the animals and the land.
Looking ahead, Cornell says the rebrand is just the first step. “Our long-term vision for Pasture is to have many Pasture Kitchens and to try different variations of restaurant concepts, like Pasture Steakhouse or Pasture Diner,” he said. “We want to sell Pasture goods like beef jerky and frozen tallow fries, and we really want to drive down the cost of real food so we can serve amazing ingredients at a price that’s affordable.”
