A group of chefs from hospitality operator and leading hotel management firm First Hospitality recently completed a friendly competition in partnership with Australian Beef to develop and trial new dishes for their properties. A panel of distinguished chefs who are “Aussie Beef Mates” - brand ambassadors for Aussie Beef served as judges, providing critical feedback and choosing the winners.
“All of our chefs came away really impressed with the quality of the grassfed beef from Australia,” said Tiffany Sawyer, Corporate Director of Culinary and Beverage for First Hospitality. “From skirt steak to tenderloin, the flavor and tenderness really stood out.”
The top three dishes:
Wood Grilled Australian Grassfed Filet of Beef
Chef James Richard, Hotel Fort Des Moines, IA
The judges loved the plating and presentation, and the combination of textures and flavors, calling it “vibrant” “stunning” and “gorgeous.”
Koji Rubbed Australian Skirt Steak with Purple Potato Hash, Grilled Corn, Roasted Chestnut Mushroom and Smoky Red Chimichurri
Chef Mark Grant, The Keep Kitchen & Liquor Bar, OH
Judges raved about the flavors on this dish: “The robust flavors of this dish sound like they work beautifully together. Lots of earthy, umami, smoky flavors going on here that sound amazing.”
Aroma Smoked Grassfed Tenderloin Beef, Polenta Cake, Parsnip, Carrot & Au Jus
Hutton Hotel Team, Nashville, TN
“Thoughtful” “classic” and “elegant” were some of the judges comments on this winning dish, along with “I would eat this any day of the week!”
“As judges we were wowed by what the chefs put together,” explains Aussie Beef Mate Chef Jason Fullilove. “The winning dishes were thoughtful, high-level and paid attention to the details, especially the presentation.”
Guests at all of the participating chefs’ operations weighed in too, with a resounding sell-out of every one.
“We’re seeing more demand for proteins with provenance from our guests,” explains Chef Sawyer. “Grassfed beef from Australia brings a great story to the plate, and helps our chefs separate themselves from the competition.”
If you’d like to collaborate with Aussie Beef & Lamb on a friendly menu development competition in your operation, drop a line to Sabina Kindler, at skindler@mla.com.au. You can also sign up for more red meat inspiration from the Aussie Meat Minute here.