Grill Promotions Reach Student Chefs in Peru

To help promote U.S. red meat through grilling techniques in Peru, USMEF joined a marketing program by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) to demonstrate American-style barbecue to gastronomy students and professional chefs in Lima.

As part of FAS’s SaborUSA program, a marketing campaign promoting U.S. food and beverages in South America, students from four of Peru’s most prestigious culinary schools were treated to “master classes” about American-style barbecuing. Classes were taught by the three founding members of the Peruvian Federation of Fires and Grills. All three had recently received personal training from Myron Mixon, five-time world barbecue champion and head of the Kansas City Barbeque Society. An additional session was organized for professional chefs at leading restaurants in Lima.

USMEF Corporate Chef Nicolas Diaz explained the quality attributes of U.S. red meat and how they are best revealed on the grill. Diaz also focused his barbecue demonstrations on the U.S. pork and beef cuts that are available in Peru and excellent for grilling. USMEF supplied barbecue training manuals, red meat brochures and all cuts for the demonstrations, which included boneless ham, spareribs, picanha and brisket.

Funding for USMEF’s participation was provided by USDA’s Agricultural Trade Promotion program.

More than 100 students and chefs attended the series of barbecue training classes in Peru. Pictured, USMEF Corporate Chef Nicolas Diaz discusses the U.S. pork and beef cuts that are available and excellent for barbecuing