'Meat' Maverick!

Hi!  I’m Maverick!  My name is Erik Mills Christenson, but my friends, family and customers call me Maverick.  I have had the privilege to follow in my family’s footsteps.  My grandfather raised Angus cattle herds and Tennessee Walker Horses.  As a purveyor of food and people, he opened a Diner and Steakhouse in Marshall, MN.  My grandfather’s brothers ‘The Mills Boys’, had 25 sections of land in Colorado which equals 25 square miles and were cattlemen as well.

From the influence of their love of cattle and food, I became one of the Executive Chefs for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL team for 8 years. Our chef team won Top Chef NFL in 2005. After my wonderful years in Florida, I moved to Western North Carolina and opened 2 restaurants; Good Ole Boys Grill and Maverick’s Steak and Tap House.  After enjoying the restaurants, I chose to sell both businesses and get back to my cowboy family roots to become a cattleman.

I founded Maverick’s Cattle Company and Maverick’s Grill& Catering.  I now manage and lease 3 ranches totaling 1150 acres of land in Western North Carolina and Tennessee.  The Tennessee ranch is an Angus Hereford cross herd “Black Baldies”. The newest ranch is 45 acres and is home to my newest bull named Shogun.  He is a 1600 lb Wagyu Bull.  I’m building an F-1 American Wagyu Prime herd that will be crossbred with Red Angus cows. The first American Wagyu Prime steer will be available in June, 2021.

My mission for Maverick’s Cattle Company is to work with farmers and ranchers to get them the support and revenue to help them grow their businesses as well as lead them into new market’s to optimize their land and resources.