Pork Making Fine-Dining Inroads in South Korea
Pork Making Fine-Dining Inroads in South Korea
While South Korea continues to be one of the leading export markets for U.S. pork, which is a popular feature in Korea’s ubiquitous barbecue restaurants, pork hasn’t been widely adopted in Korea’s fine-dining sector. A successful USMEF promotion conducted recently is designed to help change the Korean perception of pork.
“All About Espresso Steak” was a promotion that USMEF conducted recently with support from the Pork Checkoff at ROOM 201, the Best Western New Seoul Hotel’s white tablecloth Italian restaurant, to introduce diners to top-quality pork in a more luxurious setting.
The Espresso Steak, developed with the Best Western’s lead chef, Choohyeong Cho, is a charcoal-grilled pork butt steak served with two flavorful sauces, rich espresso and baby onion cream.
USMEF combined sales incentives for the serving staff with a unique promotion for diners to draw attention to the new pork steak. For diners, each patron who visited the restaurant during the month-long promotion received a free mini espresso steak (50 grams or just under 2 ounces) and a promotion leaflet. Diners who ordered the Espresso steak off the menu were offered a complimentary glass of wine.
To motivate the restaurant staff to recommend the item to diners, USMEF offered a sales incentive: a U.S. pork gift set (4 kg or 8.8 pounds of U.S. pork belly and neck meat) for each of the three servers who sold the most Espresso steaks during the promotion.
In addition, USMEF provided new uniforms emblazoned with the USMEF and Pork Checkoff logos for all serving staff, chefs and kitchen staff.
The response of diners was so positive that ROOM 201 has added the Espresso steak to its permanent menu. Restaurant sales for the period increased by 17 percent, and nearly one-third of total sales (29.8 percent) came directly from Espresso steak sales. An estimated 1,100 pounds of pork were sold by the restaurant through the Espresso steak promotion.
“The staff of ROOM 201 was extremely supportive of the promotion and the addition of U.S. pork to their menu,” said Jihae Yang, USMEF-South Korea director. “We believe the success of the Espresso steak promotion will help us expand the reach of U.S. pork in Korea and interest other white tablecloth restaurants in adding U.S. pork as featured menu items.”
Following up on the success of the pork promotion, ROOM 201 will add U.S. beef to its menu and promote Kalbi (bone-in short rib) Pasta from Dec. 7-31.
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The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.
Pork Making Fine-Dining Inroads in South Korea
While South Korea continues to be one of the leading export markets for U.S. pork, which is a popular feature in Korea’s ubiquitous barbecue restaurants, pork hasn’t been widely adopted in Korea’s fine-dining sector. A successful USMEF promotion conducted recently is designed to help change the Korean perception of pork.
“All About Espresso Steak” was a promotion that USMEF conducted recently with support from the Pork Checkoff at ROOM 201, the Best Western New Seoul Hotel’s white tablecloth Italian restaurant, to introduce diners to top-quality pork in a more luxurious setting.
The Espresso Steak, developed with the Best Western’s lead chef, Choohyeong Cho, is a charcoal-grilled pork butt steak served with two flavorful sauces, rich espresso and baby onion cream.
USMEF combined sales incentives for the serving staff with a unique promotion for diners to draw attention to the new pork steak. For diners, each patron who visited the restaurant during the month-long promotion received a free mini espresso steak (50 grams or just under 2 ounces) and a promotion leaflet. Diners who ordered the Espresso steak off the menu were offered a complimentary glass of wine.
To motivate the restaurant staff to recommend the item to diners, USMEF offered a sales incentive: a U.S. pork gift set (4 kg or 8.8 pounds of U.S. pork belly and neck meat) for each of the three servers who sold the most Espresso steaks during the promotion.
In addition, USMEF provided new uniforms emblazoned with the USMEF and Pork Checkoff logos for all serving staff, chefs and kitchen staff.
The response of diners was so positive that ROOM 201 has added the Espresso steak to its permanent menu. Restaurant sales for the period increased by 17 percent, and nearly one-third of total sales (29.8 percent) came directly from Espresso steak sales. An estimated 1,100 pounds of pork were sold by the restaurant through the Espresso steak promotion.
“The staff of ROOM 201 was extremely supportive of the promotion and the addition of U.S. pork to their menu,” said Jihae Yang, USMEF-South Korea director. “We believe the success of the Espresso steak promotion will help us expand the reach of U.S. pork in Korea and interest other white tablecloth restaurants in adding U.S. pork as featured menu items.”
Following up on the success of the pork promotion, ROOM 201 will add U.S. beef to its menu and promote Kalbi (bone-in short rib) Pasta from Dec. 7-31.
# # #
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn and soybean checkoff programs.
For more information, contact Jim Herlihy at jherlihy@usmef.org.
USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.