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GoodFellas Meat Co. owners Jason and Ileana Wildenstein offer a variety of cut beef, pork and poultry as well as sausage, side items and cooking aids at their new shop in Pasadena.

Jason Wildenstein, who prefers the term artisan meat cutter over butcher, grinds beef as he prepares to make beef sausage.

A variety of beef and pork sausages are visible in the case at GoodFellas Meat Co. in Pasadena.

Cut beef, pork and poultry are visible in the case at GoodFellas Meat Co.

Ezra Barboza samples a piece of house bacon at GoodFellas Meat Co.

Wildenstein slices beef as he prepares to make sausage.

“We’re trying to bring a Whole Foods-style environment to Pasadena, like a farmers market inside of four walls,” Wildenstein says.

When Jason Wildenstein arrives to work at around 7:30 a.m., the first thing he does is put on a pot of coffee — for himself and the neighboring businesses. He may even make some breakfast.

He then prepares the cases displaying various types of beef, chicken, lamb and pork and makes more coffee to welcome customers.

“I have some customers that come in with a cup,” Wildenstein said. “This is just something we do because it builds those relationships because we end up having a conversation over coffee, or the people next door will pop in.”

The co-owner of GoodFellas Meat Co., which is at 4111 Fairmont Parkway, Suite 101, said it’s all about quality product, customer service and taking care of neighbors.

“The most important thing for us is to be here for the community,” said Wildenstein, who operates the market with his wife and co-owner, Iliana.

Jason Wildenstein, who is originally from south Texas and recruited to the Houston area as a manager for H-E-B 14 years ago, said his niche is offering customers the highest quality product.

Address: 4111 Fairmont Parkway, Suite 101, Pasadena, TX.

Facebook:https://bit.ly/3cseHYo

“People feel bad enough with this pandemic going on and then they consume (low-quality food) and it just makes it worse,” he said. “Everything that goes into the case passes right in front of me.”

The modest-sized shop, which had an official grand opening on Nov. 16, already stands out with its name, which came after an impromptu brainstorming session.

“We just started spitting out names, and one guy says, ‘What about Goodfellas?’” Wildenstein said. “And I said, ‘Goodfellas Meat Co. of Pasadena, that sounds pretty good’ — and it stuck.”

Any fan of the film, said Wildenstein, will immediately get a direct reference from the vintage photo in the shop’s front window.

Customers won’t necessarily find much in discounted meats at Goodfellas, but its owners guarantee a superior product.

“We want people to realize there are other options,” Wildenstein said. “We want to focus on people eating better, taking the time and looking at what they’re putting into their body.”

For instance, the New York strip runs about $20 per pound, and the cases lining the counter showcase meat from Castaneda Farms and Underhill Farms, which are Texas-based farms that produces hormone- and antibiotic-free meats. Ribeyes, New York strips, tenderloins and sirloins made from Waygu beef, imported from Japan and noted for marbled and buttery texture and flavor, are front and center at GoodFellas, as are the various types of sausages from V&V Sausage

“Our lamb is from New Zealand, and its from a co-op of four families that harvests once a quarter,” Wildenstein said. “We sample it out and people are like, ‘What is this?’”

Wildenstein, who lives in Pasadena, describes the shop as “Hispanic meat market meets Whole Foods.”

“We do offer the seasoned fajitas, and they are made with all-natural beef graded prime or (from) free-range chicken, and no hormones or antibiotics, which is a better eating experience for everybody,” he said.

The market also carries prepared items like stuffed chicken breasts, pork chops and jalapenos, boudin and chorizo, all made in-house, as well as salsas and sauces, spices, and seasonings.

The idea for the shop came a little over a year ago just before the pandemic shutdowns began.

“The pandemic never stopped us, because when you are a food provider, you are pandemic-proof,” Wildenstein said. “You may need to change what you’re doing, but you can always adapt. The biggest hurdle was getting equipment and components for the computers for the cash registers.”

With 28 years of experience, Wildenstein is a butcher by trade who has managed meat departments at both independent markets and major retailers including Whole Foods.

“We’re trying to bring a Whole Foods-style environment to Pasadena, like a farmers market inside of four walls,” he said.

“Whether a customer comes in and spends 10 dollars or $100, we treat them the same,” he said.

At the grand opening, Castaneda Farms brought a calf that will be harvested for GoodFellas in 90 days.

“That how fresh our product is,” Wildenstein said. “We have a one-on-one relationship with our providers and vendors, and that’s important to us. One of the things we pride ourselves on is that we know where our animals come from.”

Wildenstein says he stumbled into his vocation when the local shop needed a butcher. He trained on the job and found his passion.

“I have been fortunate enough to work with some really great people over the years that I learned from and watched and paid attention to,” he said.

With GoodFellas, he said he wants to remind people of an old-fashioned market on the corner, where the owner remembers names.

“I can’t imagine doing anything else,” he said. “I love the creativity, and the personal relationships I can build with customers, especially in a small boutique shop like this.”

Yvette Orozco is a reporter with Houston Community News in Conroe.

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