FIRESTONE -- Dene and Deb Vance met Helena Engels by accident.

But it turned out to be a pretty good meeting -- for all of them.

The Vances own DD Ranch, between Platteville and Fort Lupton, where they raise a small herd of registered Galloway cattle. A couple of years ago, they were helping with the annual Platteville Harvest Days celebration when they met Sheryl Author. That led to them meeting Chris and Helena Engels, who opened Jack's Corner Cafe in Firestone about a year and a half ago.

"Dene and I came here (Jack's) for lunch one day, and Sheryl was waiting tables. She introduced us to Helena, mentioning to her that we raised our own beef with Galloway cattle," Deb Vance said.

That led to Deb bringing some Galloway hamburger for Helena to sample, which led to a cookout with Galloway steaks at the DD Ranch for Chris and Helena -- along with a couple of other Galloway breeders from Canada and Rifle who happened to be in the region.

That led to a tour of the Steving Meat Co. of Kersey about two months ago, where the Vances have their meat processed, and that led to Jack's -- which is named for Jackson Engels, 10 -- featuring Galloway meat for lunch and dinner.

Jack's served its first Galloway meat about two weeks ago, and it didn't take long for the family restaurant in southwest Weld to feature it as a daily special.

"It's been fabulous. We have a lot of regulars who come in here and they have really enjoyed it," Helena said.

The Engels were married about 12 years ago, but both knew even before they were married that they would have their own restaurant. He is a native of Boulder and has extensive experience in the corporate side of the restaurant business, having worked for different chain operations. She is a native of Cape Cod, Mass., has more of a culinary background, and has worked for five-star resorts. That experience serves their restaurant well as it hosts wine-tasting events about every six months or so, featuring food and the wine that goes with it from different areas of the world.

"The Italians say that if it grows together, then it goes together. That's what we do with our wine tastings," Helena said. Just this year they have hosted food and wine from Italy, South America, South Africa, Australia, Germany and others. At times, an event will feature five courses and the five wines that best fit each.

"We've served everything from kangaroo to ostrich," Chris said. The events have become so popular that tickets are now pre-sold; the next event is scheduled for Saturday.

But the Galloway beef from the DD Ranch has become a mainstay. It is aged at Steving Meat for 18 days before it is delivered to Jack's, where a variety of cuts are offered ranging from roasts to strip steaks to flat iron steaks, and from hamburgers to stew meat.

The relationship with the local ranch fits well in southwest Weld and the Tri-Town area of Firestone, Frederick and Dacono, which has grown to a population of more than 20,000 in the past few years, Chris said.

"People in this area support local business, and they appreciate the fact that we are serving meat that comes from a local ranch," he said.

Both agree it is the best beef they've ever tasted or served in a restaurant.

And what wine goes best with Galloway beef?

"Any of it, absolutely any of it," Helena said with a laugh.