Appealing to More With Aussie Beef

Robert Meitzer, CEC, AAC, Executive Chef of Forest Lake Club in Columbia, S.C., says Australian lamb is a favorite for members of all ages.

By Isabelle Gustafson, Senior Editor

AS A 100-YEAR-OLD CLUB

with 1,100 members and a seven-year waitlist, the pressure’s on to push the envelope at Forest Lake Club (Columbia, S.C.) while appealing to a diverse membership base.

“[Forest Lake] has a generational membership,” says Executive Chef Robert Meitzer, CEC, AAC, who was named one of the Club + Resort Chefs of the Year at the 2022 Chef to Chef Conference in Nashville. “It’s a mixed group.”

This can make menu planning a challenge. But Australian lamb, Meitzer says, appeals to all palates.

Lamb rack, in particular, is a musthave at Forest Lake, but the club also features lamb chop, shepherd’s pie, lamb ribs and lamb pastrami across its five dining outlets.

“The lamb rack has been on the menu for two years,” notes Meitzer. “It’s one of those items that we can’t take o ; members expect it in some variation, whether as marinated chops or as a whole- or half-rack.”

It only made sense for Australian lamb to make an appearance at Forest Lake’s 100th anniversary celebration in January, too, where most members were in attendance.

“We made a braised lamb ragu with shell pasta using our pasta maker,” says Meitzer. “It was one of our most popular action stations.”

In The Outback

Forest Lake’s members love the mild, quintessential flavor of Australian lamb’s cuts, says Meitzer, and the size is just right: “not too small like a little New Zealand lollipop and not too big like some of the domestic lambs.” The price is right, too.

“We can get Australian lamb for about $19 [per pound],” he notes.

Meitzer also appreciates the sustainability factor. Because they graze on pure, natural grasslands throughout their lives, Australian lambs are lean and low in cholesterol compared to other animal proteins—yet full of flavor.

While Meitzer’s been in the culinary business for over 30 years, he began working with Australian lamb about 15 years ago while teaching at Johnson & Wales University.