Nothing Half-Baked About the Whole Ox

By Caroline Fout

The Whole Ox butcher shop and newly added restaurant located on Marshall’s Main Street is the result of determination, a passion to support the local rural economy, and a food cart.

Derek and Amanda Luhowiak began their journey towards butchery fame traveling from farmers markets to wineries to community festivals preparing and serving local food.

A native of Pittsburgh, Derek attended the Pennsylvania School of Culinary Arts and has worked 25 years on local farms and in slaughterhouses. His wife, Amanda, grew up in Marshall and graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in psychology. When she met Derek on her return to Virginia, the two were attracted to each other by a love of food and began the early stages of their culinary journey.

“We were looking for a less mobile endeavor and always found ourselves driving to Whole Foods or farmers markets for our food,” Amanda said. “Farmers mostly could only bring frozen cuts to market, so we thought if we were missing having a local butcher or specialty grocery store, than others were as well.”

Thus, minus the wobbly knees, wet nose, and wispy tail, The Whole Ox was born. Their first permanent location was in the now-closed IGA in Marshall, with several years in their own space in The Plains and a move to to Marshall last year.

Derek and Amanda place a high importance on their relationship with the local farmers that provide the meat.

“We work with 20 different local farmers and producers in the area,” Amanada said. “We have spent the last eight years developing relationships to ensure we know as much about our farmers and products as possible so we can educate and inform our customers where their food comes from.”

A few of their pillar principles: produce meat that is harvested fresh, harvested close, as well as supporting neighbors and local farmers.

The couple’s mission lies on educating their customers on what it means for their meat to be “organic” and how the labels themselves can take precedence over the farmers behind them.

“We champion the farmer who actually takes care of his animals,” Amanda said. “Lets them graze large pastures, who grows corn to ferment down into silage just for the animals in the winter, who is aware enough of their emotional state to not stress them out before slaughter.”

Aside from harboring an acute awareness on where their meat and produce comes from, the Luhowiaks also encourage a casual, down-to-earth environment in their shop.

“Our community inside The Whole Ox is a lot of professional people looking for a nice place to come to work every day where they can enjoy their jobs and the people they work with,” Amanda said.

And that team has worked together to create the new crown jewel of The Whole Ox—the Butcher Bar.

“We like to think of it as the retro steakhouse,” she said. “With the food-making of last century: we break down the animals in house, we prepare everything by hand.”

There is room for 35-40 diners a night and they have the option to order from a variety of starters and “bits” that include bone marrow and pork belly grilled with soy and ginger. Guests then pick their meats, anything from homemade sausage to a 28-day, dry-aged New York strip steak. Then, as if their patrons weren’t already wrestling with the overwhelmingly attractive menu, they’re faced with a wide variety of sauces and butters to accompany their main dish.

Amanda and Derek definitely have their favorites. Amanda’s go-to dish? A wedge salad.

“Never underestimate a properly prepared wedge,” she said..

As for Derek, the pork rib chop tops his list. The chops originate at the Middleburg Montessori School. The children raise pigs as part of heir curriculum and sell two or three a month to The Whole Ox in keeping in with the theme of local farmers and locally raised meat, even produced by students.

“Our community of customers is just as diverse as the area in which we live,” Amanda said. “Hipsters, foodies, young, old. Food has the ability to break down social confines. We don’t take reservations, we don’t use fancy stemware, we have no vegetarian options. We keep service as simple and un-stuffy as possible, keeping the focus on the food and having a good time.”

Now that’s something to moo about.

For more information regardingmenu items, events, and what’s new on their local and fresh menu, visit
thewholeox.com.