The information is then filtered through Dr. Niman before it's turned into visual data on the site.
The project is a joint effort between Dr. Henry Niman, a biomedical researcher in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Niman was an elementary school teacher in 1969, when he took up animal husbandry as a sideline.
As more chefs signed on, Niman pushed into larger venues like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market.
"Niman Ranch, " says Kotler, as her dining companion slices a pork chop at Woodward's Garden restaurant in San Francisco.
The best-tasting breeds that are typically bred for meat are Boer, Spanish and Kiko, said Mr. Niman, the rancher.
Because of the pampering, Niman Ranch charges chefs on average 20% more for its cuts of meat than its largest competitors.
It's worth the extra price to swank joints like Manhattan's Union Square Cafe, which notes the Niman Ranch brand on its menu.
"Some restaurants use our name, but not our stuff, " says Niman, 58.
The collapse of online grocer Webvan, once Niman's biggest client, has hurt.
Niman also realized he couldn't sustain a pork business--soybean and cornmeal feed couldn't be raised in Marin County and weren't easy to transport.
Niman's cattle graze on high grass for at least 14 months and then spend 5 months at low-density (83 cattle per acre) feedlots.
Meantime Niman met sheep ranchers in the Sacramento Valley who shared his views on low-tech agriculture and started selling their lamb to him in 1989.
From neighbors and small grocery stores word spread of Niman's tasty, naturally raised meat to chefs like Chez Panisse's Alice Waters, the doyenne of California cuisine.
In general, the foods were gourmet takes on regional specialties: the Dallas Cowboys did Quail Breast Wrapped in Niman Ranch Bacon, the Denver Broncos served Szechuan Style Colorado Bison Short Ribs, the Green Bay Packers Wisconsin Duck Borscht with Duck Brats and Caraway Cream, The Kansas City Chiefs honored their legendary hometown BBQ heritage with Cider Braised Pork Shoulder with Caramelized Onions, and so on.
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