In 2020—right in the middle of a global shutdown—Lady Jaye bought a whole full-blood Wagyu cow from Magnolia Farms in Bothell, WA. We didn’t know it then, but that one decision would change the entire direction of our restaurant, our careers, and eventually The Meat Dudes. Welcome to the Lady Jaye Wagyu Beef Journey.
We sold that entire cow out of our garage window during the West Seattle Farmers Market… and it was gone in two hours.
A whole cow.
Two hours.
During COVID.
But it wasn’t just the speed of the sale that blew our minds—it was the taste. When we finally sat down and sampled cut after cut, we realized we weren’t just eating “good beef.” We were tasting something completely different.
Rich. Beefy. Buttery. Clean. Flavorful.
And it came from 20 miles away.
That moment flipped a switch for us.
It showed us that world-class American Wagyu exists right here in Washington, and that ranchers across the U.S. were raising beef every bit as special—and sometimes more aligned with American tastes—than the ultra-premium A5 from Japan.
We explored Japanese A5 too (and still love it), but American Wagyu hit differently. It felt like the perfect intersection of craft, flavor, and approachability.
Bringing Wagyu Into Lady Jaye
After that first full-blood cow, we couldn’t stop.
We started bringing small amounts of American Wagyu into the restaurant—experimenting, testing, tasting, refining. That led to:
-The Smoked Wagyu Burger — West Seattle’s #1 Burger for 3 years
-Wagyu briskets, New York Strips, Rib Roasts, Zabutons, and whole-muscle cuts smoked as weekend specials
-A growing obsession with sourcing from ethical, transparent American ranchers
We weren’t just “cooking beef” anymore.
We were learning an entire craft.
The Birth of The Meat Dudes
As we dove deeper into Wagyu, we realized something huge:
Most people had no idea what Wagyu actually was.
-They didn’t know the difference between A5 and American Wagyu…
-They didn’t know how it’s raised…
-The Health benefits…
-They didn’t know why it tastes the way it does…
-They just knew it looked expensive.
So we created The Meat Dudes Podcast to fix that—an educational, entertaining show focused on bringing real information straight from the source.
Since starting, we’ve talked with Wagyu ranchers and experts from:
?? Across the U.S.
?? Japan
?? Australia
And that led to some huge moments for us:
Hosts & Judges of the American Wagyu Association’s Best Wagyu Steak in America Competition
Speakers at Bar R Wagyu’s Annual Auction
Presenters for the American Wagyu Association on beef marketing
Cooking Wagyu at the AWA Booth at Cattle Con 2026 in Nashville
Our mission became crystal clear:
Educate. Elevate. And help the American Wagyu industry thrive.
Creating the Ultimate Wagyu Smash Burger
After four years of learning from ranchers, tasting hundreds of cuts, and refining what “great American Wagyu” means, we set out to create the perfect everyday Wagyu burger.
That journey brought us to Pure Country Farms in Moses Lake, WA—one of the most dialed-in purebred Wagyu programs in the country.
Together, we built a custom Wagyu grind that became the foundation of the brand-new Lady Jaye Wagyu Smash Burger.
It’s everything we’ve learned distilled into one sandwich:
?? Purebred Wagyu richness
?? Clean, beef-forward flavor
?? Perfect fat ratio for smash patties
?? Ethical, transparent, local sourcing
It’s the burger we dreamed of making back in 2020.
It just took a four-year obsession to get here.
From a Garage Window to the National Stage
This journey started with one ranch, one cow, and one community that believed in us when the world was upside down.
Now?
Lady Jaye is a hub for Wagyu lovers.
The Meat Dudes is becoming one of the leading voices in the industry.
And we’re just getting started.
Because this isn’t just about fancy beef.
It’s about:
• supporting American ranchers
• honoring incredible craft
• educating consumers
• and making world-class beef approachable for everyone
Lady Jaye Wagyu Beef Journey is still unfolding—and we’re grateful you’re part of it.
