Despite a name that makes you think of eyeballs, meat, and contact lenses — always an appetizing trio, yes? — MeatCrafters was a promising partnership between one of the best charcuterie makers and one of the most successful distributors in the D.C. area.

The partnership is no more.

Y&H contacted Jamie Stachowski yesterday evening who confirmed that he and Mitch Berliner have parted company — at least as partners in the charcuterie business. Stachowski's name has already been scrubbed from the MeatCrafters' Web site, but he will still have a role in the company. Berliner is still selling and distributing some of Stachowski's sausages.

"I'm trying to pursue a full line of charcuterie, and he is focusing on the [farmers] markets," Stachowski tells Y&H. "Who knows? We might come together again at some point."

Stachowski paints the falling out as a disagreement over markets — the chef wanting to target the chef-driven restaurant scene and the distributor wanting to target the area's farmers markets. But Stachowski also hints that there may have been other issues, which he wouldn't discuss for the record.

"I'm not sour," he adds.

Instead, Stachowski continues to focus on his own charcuterie, which he now won't have to market under a name that sounds like a mall storefront.  At present, Stachowski says, his charcuterie can be found at Enology Wine Bar on Wisconsin Avenue NW, Willow in Arlington, Thirsty Bernie Sports Bar & Grill (where the chef once worked until his surprising departure last year), Ristorante Posto near Logan Circle, Veritas Wine Bar near Dupont Circle, the Willard Room downtown, Bar Pilar on 14th Street NW, Red, White & Bleu in Falls Church, and Napolean in Adams Morgan.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery