U.S. Beef Showcased at Middle East Junior Chef Competition

U.S. Beef Showcased at Middle East Junior Chef Competition

The most talented young chefs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently gathered at Dubai’s Oasis Centre to compete for the coveted title of Middle East Junior Chef of the Year.

With support from the Beef Checkoff Program and the Market Access Program, USMEF sponsored the 12th annual edition of this competition, organized by the Emirates Culinary Guild in conjunction with the Dubai Summer Surprises shopping festival. The competition is also supported by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.

The Junior Chef of the Year competition promotes U.S. beef among five-star hotels and high-end restaurants in the region. More than 800 skilled young chefs competed in various classes at the seven-day event, including 12 classes that featured U.S. beef. Participants must be under 25 years of age, and are required to compete in three classes in order to qualify for the grand prize.

The Middle East’s best young chefs prepare U.S. beef dishes

The kitchen work stations, as well as the entire competition premises, were decorated with Beef Checkoff and USMEF logos. Chefs participating in every U.S. beef class were equipped with Beef Checkoff/USMEF linen stitched aprons, hats and an educational U.S. beef kit. U.S. beef also benefited from outstanding media exposure, with local and regional television coverage and several print media outlets featuring stories about the event – including the upcoming August issues of Gulf Gourmet and Hotelier Middle East magazines.

Within an hour, each chef was required to prepare one appetizer and one U.S. beef main course for two people. All dishes were served in a Western style presentation. One plate was displayed for apprentice chefs and members of the audience while the second was provided for tasting by a panel of expert judges. The judges for this event were particularly active and engaged, providing extensive feedback and valuable advice to each of the competitors.

To promote a wide range of beef cuts, all chefs were required to use the U.S. beef cut of their choice - other than tenderloin. Competitors chose top sirloin butt, sirloin flap meat, tri-tip peeled top sirloin, chuck shoulder clod, short ribs, bottom sirloin butt, ribeye, striploin and beef liver.

Chef Jannes Siahaan of The Edge restaurant won the overall title after accumulating the most points over the course of the competition, during which he competed in three classes: live cooking of a U.S. beef dish; live cooking of a local fish dish; and preparation of  a five-course gourmet meal.

Winners in the U.S. beef cookery category were (left to right with trophies) second runner-up Chef Muthuswamy, champion Chef Coehlo, and runner-up Chef Siahaan. Also pictured are USMEF representatives Bassam Bousaleh and Lina Kanaan.

“I very much enjoyed competing in the U.S. beef cookery classes, as well as the opportunity to meet other chefs,” said Siahaan, following the awards ceremony.

Siahaan’s Junior Chef of the Year title was part of a big week for The Edge, a fine dining establishment located in the Dubai International Financial Centre. Chef Mario Coelho, also of The Edge, took top honors in the U.S. beef cookery competition while Siahaan was named first runner-up. The second runner-up for U.S. beef cookery was Chef Muthuswamy of the Shangri-la Hotel Dubai.

# # #

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.

 

U.S. Beef Showcased at Middle East Junior Chef Competition

The most talented young chefs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently gathered at Dubai’s Oasis Centre to compete for the coveted title of Middle East Junior Chef of the Year.

With support from the Beef Checkoff Program and the Market Access Program, USMEF sponsored the 12th annual edition of this competition, organized by the Emirates Culinary Guild in conjunction with the Dubai Summer Surprises shopping festival. The competition is also supported by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.

The Junior Chef of the Year competition promotes U.S. beef among five-star hotels and high-end restaurants in the region. More than 800 skilled young chefs competed in various classes at the seven-day event, including 12 classes that featured U.S. beef. Participants must be under 25 years of age, and are required to compete in three classes in order to qualify for the grand prize.

The Middle East’s best young chefs prepare U.S. beef dishes

The kitchen work stations, as well as the entire competition premises, were decorated with Beef Checkoff and USMEF logos. Chefs participating in every U.S. beef class were equipped with Beef Checkoff/USMEF linen stitched aprons, hats and an educational U.S. beef kit. U.S. beef also benefited from outstanding media exposure, with local and regional television coverage and several print media outlets featuring stories about the event – including the upcoming August issues of Gulf Gourmet and Hotelier Middle East magazines.

Within an hour, each chef was required to prepare one appetizer and one U.S. beef main course for two people. All dishes were served in a Western style presentation. One plate was displayed for apprentice chefs and members of the audience while the second was provided for tasting by a panel of expert judges. The judges for this event were particularly active and engaged, providing extensive feedback and valuable advice to each of the competitors.

To promote a wide range of beef cuts, all chefs were required to use the U.S. beef cut of their choice - other than tenderloin. Competitors chose top sirloin butt, sirloin flap meat, tri-tip peeled top sirloin, chuck shoulder clod, short ribs, bottom sirloin butt, ribeye, striploin and beef liver.

Chef Jannes Siahaan of The Edge restaurant won the overall title after accumulating the most points over the course of the competition, during which he competed in three classes: live cooking of a U.S. beef dish; live cooking of a local fish dish; and preparation of  a five-course gourmet meal.

Winners in the U.S. beef cookery category were (left to right with trophies) second runner-up Chef Muthuswamy, champion Chef Coehlo, and runner-up Chef Siahaan. Also pictured are USMEF representatives Bassam Bousaleh and Lina Kanaan.

“I very much enjoyed competing in the U.S. beef cookery classes, as well as the opportunity to meet other chefs,” said Siahaan, following the awards ceremony.

Siahaan’s Junior Chef of the Year title was part of a big week for The Edge, a fine dining establishment located in the Dubai International Financial Centre. Chef Mario Coelho, also of The Edge, took top honors in the U.S. beef cookery competition while Siahaan was named first runner-up. The second runner-up for U.S. beef cookery was Chef Muthuswamy of the Shangri-la Hotel Dubai.

# # #

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.