Just before the NRA show last month, True Aussie Beef & Lamb hosted an invitational seminar we called “Raise the Steaks” for chefs from restaurant brands across the country to spend a day with an intimate group of their peers learning about Aussie grassfed beef lamb and getting to work with it together in the Metropolitan Club kitchen 67 floors above downtown Chicago in the Willis Tower (aka the Sears Tower). The event featured demonstrations by Maggiano’s Senior Director of Culinary Keith Brunell (his recipes are available here) and sous vide master Gerard Berthelion of Cuisine Solutions, a trends roundtable from Flavor & the Menu editor Cathy Holley, and a live lamb butchery demo from world-class Chef Tarik Ibrahim – who happens to have a singing voice to match his culinary chops.
Here’s what some of the participants had to say about the day:
“What a World Class program MLA put together…their pride in the products, from the grassfed beef, lamb 5 different ways, and Wagyu beef was so evident and inspiring I immediately began ideating around new menu items for my brand.”
-Corporate Executive Chef Michael Slavin, Applebee’s
“The MLA event was a loaded educational experience that exceeded my expectations! The live video and presentation of Australian Ranchers gave a very real perspective of what it’s like Down Under and their ongoing commitment to producing the very best. The end result was a never ending array of creative and flavorful dishes that truly highlighted the world of Aussie Beef & Lamb.”
-Chef Nick Saba, VP RD & Culinary, Catalina Group
This kind of educational format has been successful everywhere we’ve rolled it out, from Miami to Boston and now Chicago. Attendees tell us they love the opportunity to learn about how meats from Australia are raised and their sustainability story. We just may be coming to a city near you! We’re looking at the West Coast for spring 2016, so let us know if you’d like to attend a similar event in your area.