Chef Roundtables Offer Ideas to Veal Industry

DENVER (February 12, 2004) – At  the 2003 summer meeting of the Joint Veal Committee, veal producers realized the need to educate chefs on the facts about veal. As a result, the checkoff sponsored a Chef’s Roundtable January 29 at the 2004 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Trade Show meeting held in Phoenix, Ariz.

Through funding from the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, the Chef’s Roundtable is a cooperative project between the Joint Veal Committee and the American Veal Association. Dean Conklin, executive director veal marketing, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Betty McCullough, Veal Committee chairman, moderated the session amid top chefs from the Phoenix area.

“This roundtable provides the veal industry a great opportunity to educate leading chefs in major markets about how it is raised,” says Betty McCullough, an Ohio veal producer. “Chefs are continually looking for something new for their menu. Because of veal’s versatility it offers them a trendy entrée.”

The chefs participating in the roundtable included Jon-Paul Hutchins, Executive Chef, Scottsdale Culinary Institute, Scott Thompkins, Executive Chef, Marco Polo's Supper Club, Juan Enriquez, Chef and John Simich, director of Sales and Marketing for Morton's The Steakhouse—Phoenix. Also offering input were Stanley and Mark Lobel, Lobels, New York City.

The chefs offered information on their restaurants and suggestions for the industry. Morton’s serves 20 cuts of veal (Sicilian veal chop) per week, meaning their 64 locations serve significant amounts of veal. Enriquez said his customers are very educated about what they eat.

Thompkins suggested the veal industry try to get a positive segment on a show such as “60 Minutes.”  “We’re trendy people,” said Thompkins. “We follow the masses. You should be on the Food Network.”

“I ask the students in my school if they’ve had veal,” said Hutchins. “They answer ‘no’ because it’s too expensive or they tell me about animal welfare issues. It’s easy to vote socially with your menu choice. I have to explain to them how veal is raised.”

Hutchins added that it’s all about changing veal’s perception. “What is ‘sea bass’? It’s Patagonian hook fish. Doesn’t sea bass sound better? It’s the same with ‘olive oil – a product of Italy’. How many olive trees are actually in Italy?”

The chefs also suggested a scholarship program for students and a DVD targeted specifically for culinary students.

More roundtables have been scheduled across the country prior to October. Nagle Veal sponsored refreshments.

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