A native of Winona, J.D. Fratzke moved to Minneapolis in 1992 and after a brief attempt at academia, fell in love with the ear-splitting chaos of restaurant kitchens and the passion with which he found food could be prepared. Now chef and managing partner of The Strip Club Meat and Fish, perched atop Dayton's Bluff in St. Paul, J.D. has created a menu that is "nothing more that what we want to eat and what we want to cook for our friends."

Much of the beef J.D. uses comes from Thousand Hills Cattle Company, an aggregate of ranches in Minnesota and surrounding states committed to producing high-quality, sustainable grass-fed beef. The Food Alliance Certified ranchers of Thousand Hills believe that cattle were meant to eat grass and not grain, and the result is healthier cattle, more resilient land and soil, and better-tasting beef. Todd Churchill of Thousand Hills says that their operation ensures a consistent, high-quality product that high-quantity food buyers like J.D. desire.

Todd believes that buying sustainable food starts with a philosophical decision, and Thousand Hills values chefs like J.D. who make it their mission to buy this food no matter the cost. The Strip Club's guests are undoubtedly winners in this equation, as Thousand Hills' beef is delicious, nutritious, and environmentally sustainable, and J.D.'s cooking expertise and presentation are topnotch.