Meet Blaine Gallivan - In Season's Cofounder, Head Baker, Chef, and so much more.

Blaine lights up any space he walks into. He greets every being with respect, curiosity and an open heart. He cares deeply for his family, his friends and the environment he calls home. Blaine finds profound joy through skiing, skating and adventuring with his people. He loves to cook with fire and share his creations and offerings with his community. Blaine Gallivan is a Cofounder of In Season, the head baker and pizza chef. 

Q: What do the two words ‘In Season’ mean and symbolize to you?

Blaine: Wow, those words mean a lot to me. In Season symbolizes working in unison and harmony with the seasons, with nature, with the land and never going against the environment. It means forming a business structure that is not destructive of other beings or our natural surroundings. 

When we were in our early twenties biking across the Alps, drawing the In Season logo on a napkin in Austria, so much of what In Season meant to us then and still means today is combining our love for the mountains, for shredding and being in flow state and encapsulating all of that with the seasons and its plants and cuisines.

Q: It sounds like your business is rooted in nature. How do you interact with the natural elements in your personal life and in your business?

Blaine: In my personal life, I do my best to interact with the elements every day by getting outside and flowing through the natural world on skis or on a bike. I think there is a deep connection you can get to the elements by absorbing your surroundings. I also find connection through food and cooking. I receive ingredients from the land and cook with natural elements on the land to nourish myself and my community. It’s an important ritual for me. In our business I love to work with our Teton Valley neighbors, the farmers and producers who have a similar connection to food to bring our local surroundings to the table.

My relationship to fire is primal. There is something about this element that is deeply connected to me as a person. It brings me a lot of joy and purpose to be around a fire, to harness the flames and to collaborate with it as a vehicle for cooking with and for gathering around. There is no other form of cooking I love more. I am not sure where that love originated .It was never really taught to me. It’s one of the most ancient ways of preparing food and creating community, maybe that’s why it's so special. 

Q: What parts of baking do you enjoy most?

Blaine: I love the idea of creating something out of nothing through an intentional process. You literally have a puddy of flour and water and then you add more flour and some salt and all of the sudden you have this beautiful dough to work with. You watch the dough develop and come to life as bubbles and gases form through fermentation. I get to help the dough cultivate life. Each step along the way is a different process - mixing, shaping into nice loaves, letting it rest, baking… all steps are so unique but bring this amazing product of bread to life. 

It’s so cool to be doing something so ancient. Bread is the oldest form of nourishment and we share this across every culture in the world. Bread is the staple of life as we know it. I think baking brings with it a deep connection to humanity. At times it’s super stressful, trying to do it at high volume. Sometimes I am sore and tired but it’s all worth it in the end.

photo by Leslie Hittmeier

Q: What about your chef and pizza catering role?

Blaine: I love coming up with seasonal menu ideas that are connected to our land and the producers that tend to it daily. I love the excitement and anticipation of experiencing all the preparation come together the day of an event. Everything comes to life during the meal. I love experiencing a client’s reaction; seeing them light up. It’s cool to know that we are contributing something that strikes their heart. I also love that I get to do this with my person and with my friends.

photo by Peter Lobozzo

Q: How do you relate to the concept of ceremony?

Blaine: I believe it is important to intentionally set aside time to gather with loved ones. The most meaningful experiences are meant to be shared with people you care about and that care about you. Life is so fast moving and so busy, you can go your whole life without acknowledging milestones, big or small. Ceremony means taking the time to be present. 

Q: You’ve already touched on how you contribute to your community. In which ways do you receive?

Blaine: I contribute to my community by being my whole self and by sharing food. Food always has been a huge part of me and I offer that fully. I receive so much support from my community. I am so fortunate to create a business with Franny and to have the support of community members to do it. That’s rare and I feel extremely lucky. 

Q: How did growing up in Jackson shape where you are now?

Blaine: . Growing up here taught me to trust in my own abilities, it introduced me to the concept of being less dependent on modern amenities and therefore leaning into my environment and my relationship to it - whether through skiing in the mountains and learning from the peaks or through hunting. Growing up here really allowed me to bloom creatively and fully express myself. 

Q: Your business and your personality nourishes other people and ‘fills up their cups’. What do you do to nurture yourself. Do you have any daily/weekly/monthly or annual rituals?

Blaine: I hunt every fall. The seasonal shift brings the need for me to root down - part of that means hunting with the intention of harvesting an animal to live off of. I don't think there is anything more sacred to me. It’s powerful, sad and ecstatic all at the same time. I don’t take it lightly that I am ending a life. I am forever grateful that my brother and dad showed me the ropes. Hopefully, I can continue to provide for us and for family for years to come. It feels good to not support the conventional agriculture machine. 

I can’t say I have a ritual that I do daily but it’s definitely something I want to incorporate into my life. I nourish myself by skiing, skateboarding, doing yoga and by cooking. Sometimes when there isn’t much time, I simply go for a walk, other times I go on a long ski trip. I guess it just means doing what I need to do and taking the time to listen to myself and tune into what I really need. 

Q: Do you have any mentors?

Blaine: From a young age, my dad ( Mike Gallivan, Chef of Teton Pines) has always been a mentor. He sparked my love of food and cooking and taught me so much. Eric Wolfinger was a huge mentor in teaching me about bread and getting me started on my baking path. I am inspired by Tim and Hannah Eddy of Do Radical and Rip Zinger with Eat Ride Rad. I am inspired by anyone who is living their fullest and truest potential without sacrificing parts of themselves.

Q: Anything that has inspired you lately that you’d like to share?

Blaine: The Sourdough Podcast has been a staple in our bakery this Summer. It was a great way to connect with other people doing similar things… like baking hundreds of loaves in a garage. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to get an honest and authentic peak into the life of a baker.   

The main inspiration I have to share is to encourage people to tune into themselves. I can't assume that everyone does it the same way that I do. I can suggest though that you get outside and pack a cooler, cook something over a fire, look up at the stars, and maybe then answers will start to come. That’s how it works for me. I like to get out of my comfort zone, I like to fool around a bit and see where it all leads.