Mar 2, 2024 By Mark Hofmann 3 min read

Over his 22-year career as a chef, Jeremy Critchfield has worked in five-star resorts and restaurants across the country.

Recently, however, the Farmington man has combined his passion for being in the kitchen with his love of the outdoors.

Through his company HuntChef, Critchfield sells seasonings, rubs, sauces and mixes to help at-home chefs prepare what they gather afield (from foraging to wild game and fish) in the comfort of their own kitchens.

“I used what I’ve learned as a chef and my upbringing to make resources for people to better prepare their harvest,” Critchfield said.

Hunting and fishing have long been a part of Critchfield’s life. The Armstrong County native grew up doing those things with his granddad, and learned how the hunted food ended up on the dinner plate.

Inspired by his outdoor classroom, Critchfield enrolled in culinary school at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

He developed the idea for HuntChef back in 2009 while he was working at Nemacolin resort in Farmington. Patrons, once they learned about his passion for the outdoors, often asked him for recipes or tips on cooking wild game.

On the business website, huntchef.com, Critchfield shares recipes for everything from the forest to the supermarket.

While his products are available for purchase on the site, Critchfield said they’re also available at nearly 600 retailers across the country.

“It’s really an amazing thing to sit back and see the work the team has put into it,” Critchfield said of his Farmington-run business.

He originally started by offering three different seasonings, expanding to eight, and now to 12.

Customers, he said, approve, and have taken to using his spice blends to create their own unique ones.

“It’s a popular trend,” Critchfield said. “It’s really humbling that they’re sharing their success with me and doing things I haven’t even anticipated.”

As the HuntChef business developed, Critchfield brought his message to television.

In 2019, he teamed up with his friend Jeremiah Voithofer to document the field-to-table experience, bringing viewers hunting, fishing and wild game cooking throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania for the show “MTN TOP Outdoors” on the Sportsman Channel.

“It seemed like a great fit for both of us,” Critchfield said.

The men contacted the channel, met with them, and made the deal. He said there was a learning curve to filming their own segments, but once they figured out filming and editing, it was smooth sailing.

The show is now in its fourth season.

“I love that, as buddies, we can work together and be partners and spread the message and get the next generation into the outdoors, teaching them where their food comes from,” Critchfield said. “So many people have no idea how food lives, dies and gets on their plate.”

Although HuntChef and “MNT TOP Outdoors” is a full-time job within itself, Critchfield said there’s something else he has planned.

This fall, he’ll host a Deer, Gear and Beer Outdoor Expo and Swap Meet.

The idea came from his travels to outdoor shows and expos throughout the country, and the thought that something similar would be a good fit for Fayette County.

Critchfield said he plans to have the expo at the Fayette County Fairgrounds in September, offering over 200 vendors.

“We want to make it not just a community event, but a regional event,” Critchfield said. “It will be the first of its kind for the region. Our goal is to get 30,000 people through it so it will have a great economic impact for Fayette County.”