Profile: Brion Cimino

03/01/2011
by Claire Jurkiewicz

Brion Cimino

Lost Creek Country Club, Austin, Texas

Member since: 2007

Who he is: Co-owner and chief marketing officer of Cookwell & Co., a specialty food operation he founded with two lifelong friends in Austin. Last fall, they added a line of wing sauces to their repertoire of all-natural stews, salsas, and marinades sold in 30 states and on cookwell.net.

The concept: "If people cook well, they live well." Since 2004, the trio has created unique products for no-fuss meals. For instance, complete a dish by adding protein to a Two-Step Mix, like the Chili. "Food is centric to people getting together. We help people cook well and have good times," he says.

Grass roots: Cimino travels nationwide to grocery stores to promote products and gain feedback. A consistent selling point? More than half of Cookwell's concoctions are gluten-free.

Touching lives: "I'll never forget the first time I saw a guy pick up a Cookwell marinade at the store. We're not out there curing cancer, but to know this guy went home and cooked with our product for his friends and family is a special thing. We've made an impact."

Source: Private Clubs