Established 2018 • Ocean Springs, MS

Before Beef Tallow Was Trending...

We Were Cooking 100,000 Meals a Year With It

How a Mississippi restaurant became an unexpected authority in the tallow movement — and what we learned cooking with it for 6 years straight.

The Lady May team holding tallow products
600,000+
Meals Cooked in Tallow
6 Years
Daily Restaurant Use
4.9★
24,000+ Reviews
2018
Ocean Springs, MS

The Tallow Timeline

From Grandma's Kitchen to Yours

2018-2019

Grandma's Recipe

Started using tallow in our restaurant, honoring heritage cooking methods passed down through generations.

2020-2021

100,000 Meals Later

Proven performance in high-volume kitchen operations. We understood this ingredient intimately — its stability, richness, and purity.

2022

Early Skincare Adoption

Expanded to May's Market when only a handful of sellers existed nationwide. Our kitchen experience gave us confidence others didn't have.

2023-2024

The Trend Catches Up

Tallow goes viral on social media. But we're already years deep, with 600,000+ meals and thousands of satisfied customers.

2025-2026

Authority Established

Not trend-following. Leadership. Built on real experience, not internet hype.

What 600,000 Meals Taught Us About Tallow

When you cook with something at scale, you learn its character. Its stability. Its richness. Its purity.

Kitchen Lessons

  • Stability at high heat — performs consistently meal after meal
  • Rich, clean flavor that enhances without overpowering
  • Consistent performance in high-volume operations
  • Whole-animal respect — nothing goes to waste
  • No industrial processing — just pure, rendered fat

Skin Benefits

  • Mirrors human sebum — absorbs naturally without disruption
  • Vitamin-dense: A, D, E, K, B12 for skin support
  • Deep moisture without synthetic fillers or chemicals
  • Traditional ingredient with modern validation
  • Ideal for dry, sensitive skin (see honest note below)
May's Market at The Lady May restaurant

May's Market @ The Lady May — Where restaurant meets retail

The Lady May restaurant ribbon cutting ceremony

An Ode to Grandma

Why We Built This

"My grandmother lived on a farm in North Mississippi. She used tallow because that's what you did. Nothing went to waste. It wasn't marketed as healthy or traditional — it was just life."

— Will Taylor, Co-Owner

Chris McDonald and Will Taylor built The Lady May to honor their grandmothers, using heritage ingredients and traditional cooking methods. For them, tallow was never "rediscovered" — it was simply remembered.

When they expanded into skincare through May's Market, the tallow movement was still in its infancy. But their years of restaurant experience gave them confidence that others didn't have.

This isn't about chasing trends. It's about carrying forward what our grandmothers knew all along.

From Our Kitchen to Your Home

Trusted by 24,000+ customers

Tallow Trio Cooking Oil Bundle

Tallow Trio Cooking Oil Bundle

Original, Rosemary Garlic, Lemon Pepper

"The same tallow we use in our restaurant"

Tallow Skincare Starter Set

Tallow Skincare Starter Set

Whipped moisturizer, balm & lip care

"Trusted by 24,000+ customers"

Deluxe Gift Box

Deluxe Gift Box

Skincare, candle & cooking tallow

"The full Lady May experience"

Is Tallow Right for You? Let's Be Honest.

Tallow is deeply moisturizing and ideal for dry or sensitive skin. However, because it's rich, those with very oily or acne-prone skin may find it too heavy.

We believe in honesty over hype. Patch test. Pay attention to your skin. Keep it simple.

This isn't about selling everyone. It's about serving the right people well.

What Our Customers Are Saying

4.9★ from 24,372 reviews

"The texture and smell of this tallow are amazing. I've tried dozens of products and nothing comes close."

— Kimberly

"I love the texture of this eye cream and it smells like really good coffee! Thank you!"

— Mary

"I'm more than happy with my order! The creams have very airy foam texture so they are very pleasant to use. Very fast shipping and a very nice packing."

— Lana Smith

"The best lip balm ever. Leaves lips so hydrated. I have these everywhere I go. In the car, table, pockets on my coats."

— JoAnn

"Exactly as described. Pure whipped body butter. No heavy scent, very light fragrance. Very moisturizing and absorbs quickly into the skin."

— Jewell

"Smells so wonderful and makes my skin so silky. Repeat and lifetime customer!"

— Chelsey

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