Aus You Like It!

Eight top chefs and the best of Aussie beef with an Asian twist. That was the idea on Tuesday at South & City College Birmingham for another round of menu development featuring Aussie Beef in association with Meat & Livestock Australia and Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ)

The special morning of Asian culinary excellence produced a new level of menu ideas and techniques, showcasing the diversity and adaptability of Australian beef.

Each of the chefs were given a different cut of beef to work with. All they had to do was come up with an Asian-inspired dish. And didn’t they do well. L2 students from South & City College were able to join in and enjoy a special beef butchery masterclass.

The chefs worked with: Angus pure rump, Stockyard Angus grain-fed bavette and Wagyu feather blade.

“The chefs really turned on their creativity and it was wonderful to see each interpretation of the Asian-inspired brief!” Catherine Farinha, Director of The Chefs’ Forum said afterwards. “These menu development days have been super -important for Meat and Livestock Australia to get a sense of how chefs from different regions and cultural backgrounds can take their products and twist them in a different direction. The chefs we brought in for the event created Japanese, Chinese and Asian dishes that really stood out and demonstrated that you don’t have to be traditional with Aussie Beef – you can spice it up, marinade it, make into Thai sticky beef or grill it with Asian vegetables.”

Stephen Edwards, Business Manager EMEA from Meat & Livestock Australia said:

“This was a top morning at South and City College Birmingham and we all learnt a great deal and I enjoyed seeing how much the students got out of it. A highlight was giving a butchery demo with marbling grade 8/9 Aussie Wagyu oyster blade or feather blade as they call it in the UK, the chefs really enjoyed learning Australian butchery techniques. Working in partnership with The Queensland Government, we were able to educate the chefs on the quality, provenance and welfare of Aussie beef and learn from the chefs at the same time. Hats-off to the hugely talented chefs and students for creating such an array of different dishes from so many authentic genres and variations of Asian cuisine.”

What they prepared:

Dilanka Fernando (Executive Chef at Mayan Restaurant) – Cinnamon Marinated Beef Rump and Tempered Lentil

Sudipto Biswas (Senior Sous Chef at Royal Lancester London) – Japanese Gyudon

Vahid Zare (Executive Chef at Yakinori) – Ramen with Bavette Don

Mark Walsh (Executive Chef at Hogarths) – Imperial Chinese Rump of Beef with Pickled Carrots, Coriander Emulsion and Pak Choi

Dirk de Cuyper (Chef Patron at Saucery) – Panfried Asian spiced marinated steak with Sesame lemon Mash potatoes sauteed wild mushrooms and snow peas. Ginger Miso Szechuan pepper corn sauce

Jordan Barnes (Head Chef at The Vicarage) – Thai Sticky Beef with Sticky Rice

Chanaka Fernando (Chef de Cuisine at Buddha Bar Global) – Asian Grilled Sirloin Steak with Peppercorn Sauce with Soy Chilli Garlic Tender Stem Garlic, Teriyaki Mushroom