Top Chefs Enhance U.S. Beef’s High-Quality Image
Japan
Top Chefs Enhance U.S. Beef’s High-Quality Image
As part of its strategy to enhance the image of U.S. beef, USMEF is working with executive chefs from top-end hotels throughout Japan. Consumers understand that the leading hotels offer the highest quality products, so when hotel chefs conduct seminars in which they demonstrate how they cook with U.S. beef and explain its quality attributes, that’s an endorsement of U.S. beef as a high-quality product. This “Top Chef” promotion is preceded and followed by publicity in national newspapers and consumer and trade magazines to maximize its effectiveness.
USMEF-Japan’s cooking school at the Imperial Hotel Osaka on April 11 was publicized twice in the Yomiuri newspaper, in several Osaka papers, in many trade publications, on three internet information sites, as well as the USMEF-Japan website. More than 200 consumers applied for 60 slots in the school, and USMEF ultimately was able to accommodate 80. Imperial Hotel Osaka Executive Chef Ikeda demonstrated two U.S. beef recipes, the Imperial’s own “Steak Chaliapin” and beef stroganoff.
Chef Ikeda used U.S. beef tenderloin and strip loin which he described as “very tender and high-quality meat.” He carefully explained how to cook the recipes and furnished tips for making the menu delicious, including using U.S. beef.
The U.S. beef cooking school was a major success. Chef Ikeda told USMEF-Japan that he was happy seeing customers enjoying U.S. beef recipes again. Questionnaires filled in by attendees included the comments: “Chef’s demonstration was very careful, and I enjoyed it very much,” and “I never had U.S. beef before, and I did not know it is so delicious.”
The Yomiuri newspaper, the Nikkei Restaurant Magazine and Hotel Restaurant Magazine interviewed Chef Ikeda and their articles will appear in May. Chef Ikeda told them U.S. beef is consistently high in quality, and he has been using it since he was young.
Mexico
USMEF Butcher Certification Training Seminars In Five Mexican Cities
USMEF held butcher certification training seminars in Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Queretaro, and Culiacan in April. More than 500 retail employees from meat departments attended an eight-hour USMEF seminar in preparation for an examination for the coveted USMEF-Tec de Monterrey butcher certification. USMEF Retail Manager Gustavo Castaño explained the characteristics and attributes of U.S. beef and U.S. pork in Culiacan and Mexico City. USMEF Retail Assistant Fabian Sanchez trained retail personnel in Queretaro and Guadalajara.
USMEF Monterrey Manager Gerardo Rodriguez handled the presentation in Monterrey. Training and certifying butchers improves meat-handling conditions at retail stores where U.S. meat is sold, which ensures better U.S. meat quality for consumers and familiarizes retail personnel with U.S. products.
“In addition to improving product handling, food safety and presentation of U.S. beef and pork at Mexico’s retail outlets,” said USMEF Regional Director for Mexico and the Dominican Republic Chad Russell, “this training program helps cement positive relationships with Mexico’s leading supermarket chains, which are some of the biggest clients of the U.S. red meat industry.”
USMEF Grill Promotion With A Popular Singer
USMEF organized a grill promotion at “Carnes Finas San Juan,” a meat boutique chain with seven stores in Nuevo Leon. Consumers who bought 5 kilos (11 pounds) of U.S. beef or pork were entered into a lottery for a U.S. beef and pork barbecue attended by popular singer Bobby Pulido. On April 20, 100 winners in the lottery enjoyed U.S. beef and pork at the barbecue and met Pulido. On April 21, USMEF began a similar promotion which will culminate with a barbecue on May 11 with “La Leyenda”, a popular country music group.
“The numerous ‘meat boutiques’ in Mexico represent a large pool of potential customers for U.S. beef and pork,” according to USMEF Regional Director for Mexico and the Dominican Republic Chad Russell. “By reaching out to these new potential customers, USMEF is expanding the market for U.S. red meat.”
Japan
Top Chefs Enhance U.S. Beef’s High-Quality Image
As part of its strategy to enhance the image of U.S. beef, USMEF is working with executive chefs from top-end hotels throughout Japan. Consumers understand that the leading hotels offer the highest quality products, so when hotel chefs conduct seminars in which they demonstrate how they cook with U.S. beef and explain its quality attributes, that’s an endorsement of U.S. beef as a high-quality product. This “Top Chef” promotion is preceded and followed by publicity in national newspapers and consumer and trade magazines to maximize its effectiveness.
USMEF-Japan’s cooking school at the Imperial Hotel Osaka on April 11 was publicized twice in the Yomiuri newspaper, in several Osaka papers, in many trade publications, on three internet information sites, as well as the USMEF-Japan website. More than 200 consumers applied for 60 slots in the school, and USMEF ultimately was able to accommodate 80. Imperial Hotel Osaka Executive Chef Ikeda demonstrated two U.S. beef recipes, the Imperial’s own “Steak Chaliapin” and beef stroganoff.
Chef Ikeda used U.S. beef tenderloin and strip loin which he described as “very tender and high-quality meat.” He carefully explained how to cook the recipes and furnished tips for making the menu delicious, including using U.S. beef.
The U.S. beef cooking school was a major success. Chef Ikeda told USMEF-Japan that he was happy seeing customers enjoying U.S. beef recipes again. Questionnaires filled in by attendees included the comments: “Chef’s demonstration was very careful, and I enjoyed it very much,” and “I never had U.S. beef before, and I did not know it is so delicious.”
The Yomiuri newspaper, the Nikkei Restaurant Magazine and Hotel Restaurant Magazine interviewed Chef Ikeda and their articles will appear in May. Chef Ikeda told them U.S. beef is consistently high in quality, and he has been using it since he was young.
Mexico
USMEF Butcher Certification Training Seminars In Five Mexican Cities
USMEF held butcher certification training seminars in Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Queretaro, and Culiacan in April. More than 500 retail employees from meat departments attended an eight-hour USMEF seminar in preparation for an examination for the coveted USMEF-Tec de Monterrey butcher certification. USMEF Retail Manager Gustavo Castaño explained the characteristics and attributes of U.S. beef and U.S. pork in Culiacan and Mexico City. USMEF Retail Assistant Fabian Sanchez trained retail personnel in Queretaro and Guadalajara.
USMEF Monterrey Manager Gerardo Rodriguez handled the presentation in Monterrey. Training and certifying butchers improves meat-handling conditions at retail stores where U.S. meat is sold, which ensures better U.S. meat quality for consumers and familiarizes retail personnel with U.S. products.
“In addition to improving product handling, food safety and presentation of U.S. beef and pork at Mexico’s retail outlets,” said USMEF Regional Director for Mexico and the Dominican Republic Chad Russell, “this training program helps cement positive relationships with Mexico’s leading supermarket chains, which are some of the biggest clients of the U.S. red meat industry.”
USMEF Grill Promotion With A Popular Singer
USMEF organized a grill promotion at “Carnes Finas San Juan,” a meat boutique chain with seven stores in Nuevo Leon. Consumers who bought 5 kilos (11 pounds) of U.S. beef or pork were entered into a lottery for a U.S. beef and pork barbecue attended by popular singer Bobby Pulido. On April 20, 100 winners in the lottery enjoyed U.S. beef and pork at the barbecue and met Pulido. On April 21, USMEF began a similar promotion which will culminate with a barbecue on May 11 with “La Leyenda”, a popular country music group.
“The numerous ‘meat boutiques’ in Mexico represent a large pool of potential customers for U.S. beef and pork,” according to USMEF Regional Director for Mexico and the Dominican Republic Chad Russell. “By reaching out to these new potential customers, USMEF is expanding the market for U.S. red meat.”