Importers, Chefs, Journalists Get Taste of U.S. Beef at Amsterdam Event

Butcher Serge Bos demonstrates proper cutting of U.S. beef during a USMEF workshop and tasting event in Amsterdam

Chefs, restaurant owners, food bloggers and journalists joined meat importers for a U.S. beef workshop and tasting event organized by USMEF in Amsterdam. The goal of “The Marbled Meat Club Goes Dutch” was to educate foodservice professionals about the versatility of U.S. beef and provide media with information on the product’s high quality. Funding support was provided by the corn checkoff.

More than 100 people were welcomed to the Rijks Restaurant – part of the Rijksmuseum, a Netherlands national museum dedicated to arts and history – by U.S. Consul General to Amsterdam David McCawley. He pointed out that the setting was ideal for fostering relationships between Dutch food companies and the U.S. beef industry, as well as the California Wine Institute, which partnered with USMEF for the tasting.

The event was attended by a large number of importers from the area, as well as their customers. John Brook, USMEF regional director for Europe, Russia and the Middle East, opened with an overview of the U.S. beef industry and highlighted the advantages of including U.S. beef on restaurant menus.

“It was a great opportunity for the importers to meet with their customers in the Netherlands, while also gaining more knowledge of U.S. beef and, of course, getting a taste of U.S. beef,” Brook explained. “We want U.S. beef importers to recognize that USMEF is supporting them and carrying out activities to help their businesses. Another objective is to put them in contact with potential customers, and we accomplished this by inviting many chefs to participate.”

Attendees dined on four different U.S. beef recipes that were paired with California wines

Serge Bos, a master butcher with the Group of Butchers consulting group, conducted demonstrations with four specific cuts: chuck roll, brisket, top sirloin cap and striploin. These cuts were then used in four different recipes by Rijks Chef Joris Bijdendijk. After representatives of the California Wine Institute detailed how California wines should be paired with each U.S. beef recipe, attendees dined on the results.

“The Marbled Meat Club Goes Dutch” gained a great deal of media exposure, especially on social media. According to metrics, the hashtag #USBeefgoesDutch reached almost 20,000 Twitter accounts during the event and created more than 55,000 Twitter impressions.

“The food press should be one of our best allies to increase the awareness of U.S. beef,” said Brook. “Inviting them to this event and then providing them with detailed information is the best way to improve awareness of U.S. meat products.”

USMEF also provided journalists with audio-visual materials and a press release that included facts about U.S. beef that are important to the European audience, including references to the advantage of grain-fed beef and the consistency and availability of U.S. beef.