Our Story

Sebastian grew up in the Black Forest region in Germany. Here, surrounded by mythical nature and small towns, he developed a deep, intuitive understanding of our relationship, as humans, with the natural world that surrounds us. Large, noisy family dinners dominated daily life, and so, a love of food and the togetherness it facilitates, was born.

At the markets, the local farmers living and working on the outskirts of the city would bring their wares to town to sell directly to the consumer. Fresh, beautiful produce was brought down every morning, and here, the idea of a direct relationship to ingredients, produce and the farmer was obvious. Of course, alongside the daily shop at the market, Sebastian’s family found balance with the modern amenities of supermarkets and other shops, too.

And then, every evening after school, Sebastian’s family would go to pick up milk from the local farmer. Again ideas, relationships, and a respect for the land were affirmed, that would shape a desire to maintain this connection with nature throughout his life. After collecting the milk in the twilight, they would come home to a large, noisy family of seven brothers and sisters. In the sporadic noise of different personalities at different stages in their life growing up together, they found commonality over the dinner table. This time was fundamental and incorporated an intuitive sense of understanding to the importance of the food we eat.

Another formative experience for Sebastian and his siblings was growing their own food. During the early 80s, Sebastian’s parents maintained a large vegetable garden and orchard. That wasn’t just a hobby or a passion for healthy food, but a money saving endeavour: at the time, Sebastian’s dad was an aspiring writer (he had one book published!) and the family income was very modest. The family lived in a 400 year old former presbytery where the rent was as little as $60 a month (low even in the 80s!). Producing their own food was just one way to keep costs low. A humble PB&J sandwich tastes even greater when it’s made with homemade jelly on freshly baked bread!

These pastoral scenes set the tone for the first 20 years of Sebastian’s life, which he took with him when he eventually left his birthplace and moved to London and then the U.S., experiencing new cultures and countries through his burgeoning career in business. Eventually, when Sebastian had a large, young family of his own, they decided to look for a home that would recall some of these childhood memories. Attracted by the lifestyle and availability of land, they settled on Texas, and bought a ranch around 30 miles southeast of Austin.

Soon, they had 40 horses, alongside goats, cattle, pigs and chickens. To help with all the ranch work, Sebastian hired some ranch hands who moved onto the property with their families. At this point, Sebastian’s family had grown to include seven kids, and with the other families, were 25 people living on the ranch. As part of an integral belief in the power of eating meals together, Sebastian, his family and those of the ranch hands would eat dinner communally every night. Often, they would have big roasts, alongside beautifully fresh vegetables, and, of course (it wouldn’t be complete without), Shiner Bock. It was a great highlight of the day for everyone working there, coming together over a big family table, followed by laughter and reflection on a day’s hard work, all under the vast Texas sky.

When Sebastian and his family left Texas in 2017, those special years cemented the ever-present connection and respect for the land Sebastian had known his whole life. The pull of Texas remains strong, and he maintained relationships and connections to the great state after leaving. This belief in the local community, good quality food and ingredients, and a respect for the earth played a key part in these memories.

From these memories, values, and beliefs TexasRealFood was created. It was created out of those familial encounters in Germany, of having dinner at the family table every night, of working with animals and the land, of sharing life under the Texas night sky…

That is what we would like to share with you.

When you “break bread” together over a table, you’re inviting a healthier way of life into your home. Food is a medium for connections. It is something we all need to survive, whether you see it as simply fuel or potentially poetic; it is what brings us together across cultures, religions, family situations, backgrounds, differing lived experiences – it is the ultimate equalizer. The act of inviting someone into your home for a meal is, in any culture, the ultimate gesture of friendship and equality.

And that essential fact: that we are all equalized over a home-cooked meal, is the reason that this website was started. From the knowledge of consciously sourced ingredients and respect for the earth to the importance of communally meeting over a family table, this is where we want to meet you.

At TexasRealFood, we aim to help you on this journey, by providing you with the necessary resources to make healthy, sustainable, and conscious choices so you can meet friends and family at a dinner out, or cook something magnificent at home, all while taking care of the planet and yourself. All you need to do is add your favourite people to join you, and revel in the beauty of a good meal.

We believe that good food should be accessible, healthy, and sustainable. To this end, TexasRealFood is a curated directory of Texan business that share our philosophies, so you can easily find farm-fresh, local, farm-to-table food.

But, we’re more than just a directory – we’re also a guide to better, healthier living. Throughout our Discover section, you can find incredible recipes, ‘how-to’ guides, articles on the state of the food industry, and up-to-date resource recommendations – all to help you on your way to a healthier, better life.