The MeatEater Crew

Steven Rinella is the host of the long-running television show MeatEater and top-ranked MeatEater podcast. He is the New York Times bestselling author of ten books dealing with wildlife, hunting, fishing, and wild game cooking, most recently Outdoor Kids in an Inside World: Getting Your Family Out of the House and Radically Engaged with Nature and the audio original, MeatEater's Campfire Stories: Narrow Escapes and More Close Calls. He is the...
Janis Putelis is the Director and Executive Producer of the Netflix Original series MeatEater and co-host of The MeatEater Podcast. Before joining MeatEater in 2012, Putelis spent over a decade guiding hunting and fishing trips in Colorado, Arizona, and Mexico and three years in a professional kitchen. Check out some of Janis's favorite gear.
Ryan "Cal" Callaghan is MeatEater's Director of Conservation and a national board member of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. Cal has been a passionate member of the outdoor community, having grown up hunting and fishing, guiding, and playing in the West. Check out some of Cal's favorite gear.
Clay Newcomb is a 7th-generation Arkansan that grew up in the Ouachita Mountains. He's a hunter, mule skinner, curious naturalist, and observer of rural culture. He's also a writer, filmmaker, podcaster, and owner/publisher of Bear Hunting Magazine. Check out some of Clay's favorite gear.
Danielle Prewett is the founder of Wild + Whole and a Wild Foods Contributing Editor for MeatEater. She is passionate about the outdoors because hunting, fishing, gardening, and foraging enable her to connect with her food and eat consciously. Texas is home for Danielle and when she isn’t in the kitchen, she can be found upland hunting with her bird dogs. Check out some of Danielle's favorite gear.
Mark Kenyon is the author of That Wild Country, founder of Wired To Hunt, and host of the industry-leading Wired To Hunt Podcast. He is a nationally published writer, a QDMA certified Deer Steward, and MeatEater's resident "whitetail guy." Check out some of Mark's favorite gear.
The ocean has long been a source of sustenance, inspiration and adventure for Kimi Werner. She's a United States National Spearfishing Champion, chef, ocean advocate, filmmaker, and mom. Her daily life is a pure fusion of her talents and passions, rooted in her love for family, foraging, and food.
Kevin Gillespie is an Atlanta-based chef, author, restauranteur, and culinary contributor for MeatEater. He is the owner of the Red Beard Restaurant group and the founder of Defend Southern Food Foundation, an organization committed to helping alleviate hunger inside Atlanta communities. Kevin is a seven-time James Beard Awards finalist as well as a two-time finalist and “fan favorite” on Bravo’s hit TV show “Top Chef.” He’s a lifelong hunter and...
Spencer Neuharth is the director of web content at MeatEater, producer of Wired to Hunt, and founder of Rut Fresh. His writing has been featured in over a dozen magazines, including Field & Stream, Petersen's Hunting, and Men's Journal. His work is a reflection of his roots as a whitetail hunter and training as a biologist.
Brody Henderson grew up hunting and fishing in Pennsylvania. After college he moved to Colorado, where he worked as a fly fishing guide and writer. Brody has a passion for public lands hunting and fishing throughout the West. He has worked as a Wilderness Production Assistant for the MeatEater television show, and is a writer and MeatEater's Senior Editor.
Misty Newcomb is a wife, mother, gardener, and small-scale chicken farmer interested in using natural foods to build a healthy, connected family and community. She has a full-time professional career off the farm and enjoys figuring out how to efficiently feed her family like it’s 1899 while living a modern, balanced lifestyle. She’s also a die-hard NBA and NCAA basketball fan and amateur fermenter. You can find the chronicles of her farming...
Texas chef and butcher Jesse Griffiths has been a long-time friend of MeatEater, hanging out with us on podcasts, hosting an episode of Das Boat, and many other good times. Jesse isn’t just a renowned chef, he runs a strictly local butcher Dai Due Butcher Shop, supper clubs, and a very cool hunting school to welcome anyone interested in hunting and preparing wild game. He’s also a serious hunter and angler, and the perfect person to lead Steve on...
MeatEater Contributor Tony Peterson has penned hundreds of hunting articles, several books, and developed multiple podcasts. Peterson’s whitetail-related contributions stem from real-world experience and a passion for hunting new ground each season. He's considered one of the top whitetail hunters in the country and is a staunch advocate for public lands. Check out some of Tony's favorite gear.
Jason is a 5th generation “Phelps” growing up in the small logging town of PeEll, Washington. When his profession of engineering met his passion of calling in animals, Phelps Game Calls was created. Being an engineer, his podcast is laser focused on tactics and strategies to help people find success.
Dirk Durham (aka "The Bugler") is a world class elk caller and hunter.
K.C. is known for taste testing everything and being impulsive. He is the co-founder of The Element, co-host The Element Podcast, co-host of Buck Truck, and co-host of Rut Fresh Radio K.C. is an East Texas family man, gardener, adventure seeker, fig enthusiast, Christian Youth Leader, and a half-decent Scratch Cook. He learned how to hunt and fish from his dad and granddad.
Tyler is known for being the frontman of Tyler and the Tribe, co-host of The Element Podcast, The Buck Truck Video Series, still using mechanical broadheads, and co-host of Rut Fresh Radio. He is a believer, husband, father of two, songwriter and guitar player, small stream aficionado, wannabe gardener, and a deer hunter of course. He toured in two bands for nearly 10 years and still writes and records music. He loves to cook and coach his kids...
Brent's a lifelong outdoorsman who's family roots go back over 150 years in the river bottoms of rural Arkansas. Brent is a career law enforcement officer, former waterfowl guide for over 25 years around Stuttgart, Arkansas, and the proud parent to three children, and grandparent to three grandchildren. Home State: Arkansas Favorite pursuits: Coon hunting with hounds, turkey hunting, archery whitetail, and all kinds of fishing – fly fishing to...
Seth’s photography has been used by major media organizations, including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Maxim, and Today Show. He travels the country photographing and filming for MeatEater, and travels Montana in search of the hot walleye bite.
Chester started working in the outdoor space the day he graduated high school. He’s a former boat builder, bow builder, and trout guide, and currently a walleye tournament angler. Chet won’t turn down any opportunity to wet a line or strum a guitar. Home state: Wisconsin Favorite pursuits: walleye, muskie, whitetail, rabbits Favorite meal: chicken-fried venison Favorite conservation orgs: Public Land/Water Access Association, National Wild Turkey...
Maggie is happiest away from cell service with a fishing pole in hand. With an educational background in English and culinary arts, she aims to create content that makes cooking and sourcing quality food an accessible endeavor for everyone.
Jordan Sillars is a managing editor at MeatEater who writes about firearms, conservation, and American literature. He hails from the East Texas piney woods, where he likes pursuing squirrels, whitetail, wild hogs, and sand bass (but mostly squirrels).

MeatEater Contributors

Outdoors writer/editor, weekly columnist for 17 Wisconsin newspapers, regular contributor to American Hunter magazine, and former editor of Deer & Deer Hunting magazine.
Doug Duren is a passionate conservationist, land manager, and part-time curmudgeon. In addition to his work, Doug can often be found at the Duren Family Farm, caring for and managing it, for this and future generations.
Jenna is a forager, writer, homesteader, and wild foods educator from Maine. She enjoys a generalist approach to the New England outdoors and through her teaching and writing hopes to help people feel curious and comfortable on their home landscapes. Learn more jennarozelle.com or find her on Instagram @jennarozelle.
Lukas Leaf is an avid, passionate outdoorsman and chef born and raised in Minnesota and has spent the majority of his cooking career specializing in wild game and foraged ingredients. From weekends on the ice in his family's fish shack on Mille Lacs Lake to spring fishing trips in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, connecting with nature and our cherished wild places has long been cemented as a way of life. Lukas is a dedicated husband and father to...
Steve Schwartz is a Texas-based freelance writer and photographer. As an avid hunter, angler, and semi-functional cook, he’s committed to exploring close-to-home outdoor pursuits and all of the fulfillment and bug bites that come with it. In other words, “incapable of holding down a 9-to-5 job.”
Kubie Brown is a MeatEater contributor, freelance writer, and blogger. A professional fishing and hunting guide for more than a decade, he is a passionate outdoorsman whose career choice has allowed him to fish and hunt across North and South America. Originally from Vermont, Kubie currently lives in Southwest Montana where he subsists on a diet of wild game. When he's not fishing, hunting, writing, or guiding, he spends his time tying flies...
Charlie Booher holds degrees in Fisheries & Wildlife Conservation (B.S.) and Public Policy (B.A.) from Michigan State University and is currently pursuing an M.S. in Wildlife Biology, a Master of Public Administration, and a Certificate in Natural Resource Conflict Resolution at the University of Montana. Charlie is an associate wildlife biologist. Outside of the office, you can find him hiking in the mountains of Western Montana and re...