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STATE BEEF COUNCILS
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Six Culinary Schools Participate in South Dakota Embodies Farm to Fork Event in New York May Beef Month Spirit
Students and instructors from six New funds was SUNY Cobleskill, with a Beef York culinary schools recently toured two Tatki Rolls appetizer and Sauteed Beef beef farms and received additional handsRib Eye Fillet Entrée served with Fricassee on beef instruction and training as part of of Spring Vegetables and Fork Crushed a two-day Farm to Fork event conducted Fingerling Potatoes. by the New York Beef Council. This fourth “The students did an impressive job,” annual event was made possible through said Jean O’Toole, NYBC executive funding from the South Dakota Beef director. “We asked them to do something Industry Council. different with the rib, and every school The six participating schools were rose to the occasion. We hope this will SUNY Adirondack, SUNY Cobleskill, inspire current and future restaurant chefs Erie Community College, SUNY Sullivan and owners to put these innovative cuts on County Community College, Monroe their menus.” Community College and Finger Lakes Community College. Students and instructors toured Wooded Acre Farm in Hemlock, N.Y., and Wilson Beef Farm in Canaseraga, N.Y., then received more formal information about the beef industry from NYBC and other industry experts at the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua, N.Y. Participants learned about beef all the way from birth, animal care and handling to beef grading, fabrication, labeling and nutrition. Students from the six schools also took part in a culinary cook-off, where they were challenged to fabricate and present a Rib subprimal in creative and innovative ways. The contest was intended to show fabrication that created economic opportunities for restaurant owners and the versatility of beef. Lane Kortright, a student at SUNY Winner of the 4th Annual Culinary Sullivan, carefully cuts a Rib subprimal for Competition and $2000 in scholarship use in his school’s menu items.
Many states celebrated Beef Month in May, South Dakota among them. The South Dakota Beef Industry Council, in fact, exemplified the Beef Month spirit during the month by planning and conducting numerous efforts that put the focus on beef: • May 1: A “Beef Crawl” held in Rapid City with Ag United. The Beef Crawl is a progressive dinner featuring a different beef item at each stop, allowing consumers the chance to sit with producers and learn about modern beef product – and enjoy great beef; • May 4: Gov. Dennis Daugaard signs a proclamation declaring May as Beef Month in South Dakota. The SDBIC works closely with the South Dakota Department of Agriculture each year to organize the proclamation, which gets tremendous publicity; • May 5: First Friday at Sioux Falls Stockyards, an event at which consumers learned more about beef, with free admission from 5-8 p.m. sponsored by SDBIC; • May 6: The Big Event with Horizons Girl Scouts in Sioux Falls, teaching the next generation about the power of beef, with some hands-on preparation tips; • May 15: Beef it Up cooking class with SDBIC’s Holly Swee and Chef Jonathan Ricks at Hy-Vee Supermarket in Sioux Falls; and
• Throughout the month: social media, retail and other promotions, including the Pump Iron Eat Beef promotion with United Blood Services in Rapid City and the SDBIC Fit Friday Challenge. Many state beef councils have other or similar events to celebrate their own beef months in May and at other times of the year. Check with your SBC to see what they have cooking – and how you can help!
Numerous events helped the South Dakota Beef Industry Council celebrate May Beef Month throughout the state.
Oregon Boosts Culinary Presence, Thousands in Iowa Pick their Best Burger Names Denton Chef of the Year
Smokin’ Hereford BBQ, a Storm Lake, Iowa, restaurant opened in October 2015, has produced Iowa’s Best Burger for 2017, based on a contest held by the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. The announcement was made to kick off Iowa’s Beef Month celebration in May. The burger began as a special, but it became such a big hit with customers that Smokin’ Hereford BBQ added it permanently to the menu. The awardwinning Hereford Burger is seasoned and topped with a choice of cheese and served with lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion, a choice of side and corn bread. Additional toppings are available, such as bacon and spicy mac and cheese. More than 9,200 nominations for
the Iowa’s Best Burger contest were received from the public between Feb. 13 and March 13. The votes were counted and the 10 burger joints with the most nominations advanced to the contest’s final round. For a burger to qualify, it had to be made of 100 percent beef. Other ingredients such as spices and vegetables could be added, but it had to be an allbeef patty — or patties — served on a bun or other bread product. Condiments were allowed and the burger had to be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. This is the eighth year of the contest. Last year, The Chuckwagon Restaurant in Adair won for its Angus burgers on toasted buns.
Showing off the Hereford Burger at Smokin’ Hereford BBQ are (from left) Jonathan Borjas, manager; Ileck Thammathai, kitchen supervisor; and Natalie Schumann, front-of-house manager.
is well known in the culinary community The Oregon Beef Council has in Oregon and the region, serving as the named Greg Denton its 2017 Chef of the executive chef at the Multnomah Athletic Year. The honor helps maximize beef’s prominence in the culinary community in Club, which has several restaurants and caters some of Portland’s most prestigious Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, while events. building the relationship between chefs The recognition has already paid and Oregon’s beef farmers and ranchers. dividends, according to OBC CEO Will Denton is the owner/chef at Ox Wise, as Chef Denton used Oregon beef in Restaurant in Portland, as well as a James Beard House competition he won SuperBite, a restaurant/bar that uses a in New York City this year. “Our culinary small plates format. Both restaurants ambassadors are extremely valuable to the use creativity and precision in their beef industry’s work with this important preparation of delicious beef dishes. audience,” Wise says. “Furthermore, the The OBC’s 2017 Chef of the Year chefs appreciate the support from, and accolade was recognized at a dinner relationships they develop with, our hosted in April by Chef Philippe Boulot, farmers and ranchers.” a James Beard award winner who was the 2014 OBC Chef of the Year. About 100 people attended the 2017 event as guests of the OBC. Chef Boulot also serves as the public member on the OBC Board of Directors, a position that all Oregon (From left) Chefs Greg Denton and Philippe Boulot helped create a dinner commodity with beef served five ways to celebrate Chef Denton’s selection as Oregon Beef commissions Council Chef of the Year. Shown with the chefs is Geoff Latham, Nicky USA, a are required premier butcher and purveyor of high quality meats in the Northwest. to have. He (Photo courtesy of Mark Cockcroft/Nicky USA.)