Meet A Master Wild Game Chef (Video)

Ducks Unlimited released the latest film in its online series. In “The Sporting Chef,” Scott Leysath shares his love of wild game cooking and the sporting lifestyle.

Leysath didn’t set out to be a wild game cooking authority. His path to that distinction came as a restaurant owner serving game meats.

“I owned my own restaurant in Freeport, California,” Leysath said. “We served wild game on the menu. People would come in and ask, ‘How come mine doesn’t taste like yours?”

That’s when Leysath began to develop wild game recipes for the public.

His simple ingredients and formulas for wild game cooking caught on and soon Leysath was known as an expert wild game cook. He formed a relationship with Ducks Unlimited, in the magazine and in segments for DU TV.

DU Magazine photo editor John Hoffman explained the relationship with Leysath and his column’s popularity.

“People love to find different things they can do with the game they’ve harvested,” said Hoffman. “Scott is one of the leading chefs specializing in wild game and one of the most knowledgeable people when it comes to cooking waterfowl. DU magazine wanted our readers to have recipes they could easily replicate. Scott’s column gives them that, making their hunting experience that much better.”

Leysath’s magazine column has run in every issue for the past twelve years, amassing a wealth of recipes for DU members. He still loves hunting and creating wild game dishes everyone can cook and enjoy.

“I’m not trying to out-chef anybody,” Leysath concluded. “My goal is to create recipes that people will actually use. People come up to me now and thank me for the fact that they no longer give away their harvested game. That makes it all worthwhile.”

DU Films is a unique online film series from Ducks Unlimited, the world leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation. Each film features thrilling hunting footage but also tells a story about waterfowl hunters passionate about hunting, conservation and giving back to the resource. DU Films presents all of this through breathtaking waterfowl footage and intimate conversations with hunters across North America.