Dozens of Key U.S. Chefs Attend Beef Event at Culinary Institute of America

Putting more beef items on restaurant menus across the country was the goal of an event held for dozens of U.S. chefs at the Culinary Institute of America in California June 7-11.  The event focused particularly on cuts from the chuck and round, two primals from the carcass that are traditionally undervalued.

Funded by beef producers through their $1-per-head checkoff, the event was coordinated for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and state beef councils by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) as part of its Beef. It’s What’s on the Menu seminar series.  The NCBA serves as one of the Beef Board's contractors for checkoff-funded programs.

A total of 35 executive chefs attended the event, held at CIA’s Greystone facility in St. Helena, Calif.  Beef value cuts, such as the Flat Iron, Ranch Cut and Petite Tender, were showcased, as were new beef product concepts developed from the beef round.

By addressing these cuts at the event, the checkoff sought to enhance the value of the entire carcass, which in turn boosts the value of the animals from which they come, according to Bartow, Fla., beef producer Sid Sumner, who is chairman of the Joint Foodservice Committee.

“The goal of the checkoff is to increase demand for beef and thereby help improve the market for the producers who sell the animals that produce it,” says Sumner.  “This was an excellent opportunity to help build relationships with the chefs and get them thinking more about beef, while providing ideas that would get more beef on menus nationwide.”

Twelve state beef councils also participated in the program.  Six sent chef representatives to the event, while another six provided additional funding to make the event possible.  State councils collect the $1-per-head beef checkoff and retain 50 cents of each dollar to be used at the discretion of their directors for in-state, national or international research, promotion and information programs.    

States participating in the program were Indiana, Texas, Nebraska, Montana, Colorado, Oklahoma, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Iowa and Tennessee.

The event also integrated the expertise of several checkoff-funded initiatives to maximize effectiveness with the audience, Sumner says.  In addition to the foodservice program, the seminar featured new product development results, information from the communications and issues management team and participation by the Culinary Center.  Cattle-Fax also participated to present market and production information.

“It was a great experience, and a tremendous opportunity for the beef industry,” says Larry Descheemaeker, a Lewistown, Mont., cattleman who attended the event.  “We targeted high-level, chain-headquarter restaurant chefs, and therefore reached important decision makers for operations that represent billions of dollars in foodservice sales.” 

Descheemaeker is a member of the Beef Board, a member of the Joint Foodservice Committee and an ex-officio member of the Montana Beef Council.

Laurie Bryant,  vice chairman of the Joint Foodservice Committee, says chefs with organizations that process and market beef to restaurants also were invited to attend.  “These are the individuals who can evaluate how new chuck and round cuts can be effectively merchandised,” Bryant says.  “By including these chefs we assure that there are strong links between those that harvest the animals and those that serve the final dish to the consumer.”

Bryant also is a member of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board.

The program for the two-day seminar included identifying and hands-on application of flavor profiles that work well with beef.  Market research information and new product concept presentations were also included.

More than 6,700 individual restaurant units were represented by the chefs attending the June Beef. It’s What’s on the Menu Seminar.