U.S. Beef, Pork and Lamb Focus of Culinary Training Camp in the Philippines

U.S. beef, pork and lamb were showcased during a U.S. Meat Culinary Training Camp conducted by USMEF in Tagaytay City, Philippines. The two-day workshop, funded by the USDA Market Access Program (MAP), the Beef Checkoff Program and the Pork Checkoff, was part of USMEF’s ongoing effort to educate chefs and restaurant owners in the Philippines about the many culinary applications for U.S. red meat.

Chefs and restaurant owners in the Philippines were invited to grill U.S. beef they had prepared during USMEF’s U.S. Meat Culinary Training Camp

Sabrina Yin, USMEF director in the ASEAN region, and Monica Regaspi, USMEF representative in the Philippines, opened the seminar with an overview of the U.S. red meat industry and updates on the global market and the availability of U.S. beef, pork and lamb.

For the beef portion of the workshop, Yin discussed the attributes of U.S. beef, the USDA grading system and the advantages of grain-fed beef over grass-fed beef. She then performed a cutting demonstration, offering chefs and menu planners a variety of applications for each cut. Joining Yin was Chef Perry Choi, who demonstrated cutting of U.S. beef brisket plate fingers, rib cap meat, top blade muscle, chuck roll and hanging tender.

Chef Jayme Natividad, executive chef of Taal Vista Hotel, which hosted the workshop, followed with cooking demonstrations. Samples of brisket fingers, beef rib cap and beef hanging tender were handed out to participants, who were then invited to marinate the featured U.S. beef cuts for grilling.

The U.S. beef session ended with an “American Barbecue” themed dinner featuring dishes prepared by the participants.

USMEF conducted cooking demonstrations featuring U.S. beef, pork and lamb and offered tasting samples

The second portion of the training focused on U.S. pork and lamb. Yin spoke about the qualities of U.S. pork and lamb and about several cuts that are both versatile and affordable. A discussion on U.S. processed pork and deli meats provided a look at the many uses for these items. A cooking demonstration featuring U.S. pork loin and baby back ribs, and U.S. lamb bacon and lamb belly was followed by a tasting session.

In an effort to keep the chefs and restaurant owners engaged with U.S. red meat, USMEF’s Eddie Hui shared with them a number of social media options that include menu and dish ideas for U.S. beef, pork and lamb.

Sabrina Yin, USMEF ASEAN director, shares details about the quality and versatility of U.S. pork

The Philippines is the largest destination in the ASEAN region for U.S. red meat, but both the pork and beef markets are extremely competitive. U.S. lamb exports to the Philippines have shown promise in 2016, increasing five-fold over last year to 45 metric tons valued at $350,000 (January-September).