U.S. Beef Workshop in Georgia Demonstrates Product Quality

Oleg Starun, a successful Ukrainian chef, demonstrated handling and cutting of U.S. beef cuts during a workshop held in Georgia

To provide chefs and foodservice professionals with information regarding the quality of U.S. beef and tips on handling, cutting and cooking the product, USMEF recently held a U.S. beef workshop in Batumi, Georgia, a well-known resort city on the Black Sea Coast. Funding support for the workshop was provided by the Beef Checkoff Program and the USDA Market Access Program (MAP).

Located in close proximity to the Georgia-Turkey border, Batumi has become a host for millions of tourists and now includes an assortment of international hotels, luxury restaurants and casinos. Participants in the U.S. beef workshop included 28 chefs from fine dining restaurants and leading hotel chains, including Sheraton, Radisson Blu and Hilton. Among the goals of the workshop was to provide the chefs with essential background information about the U.S. beef industry – cattle breeds, genetics, major segments in the production chain from farm to plate, food safety, grading and aging.

The workshop was led by Ukrainian chef Oleg Starun. He demonstrated handling and cutting of U.S. beef, along with tips for convenient cooking methods and menu ideas. Starun opened Kiev’s first Goodman Steakhouse, the most famous and successful steakhouse in the country, and was asked by the workshop participants to share his experience working with various classic steaks, roast beef, cold dishes with raw beef, burgers and more.

Participants were given in-kitchen demonstrations on handling and cooking U.S. beef, along with menu and serving ideas

Workshop participants also were shown examples of high-quality chilled beef cuts, including lip-on ribeye, cube roll, tenderloin and striploin.

“The U.S. beef workshop was held before the high season for the hospitality industry, in order to introduce the region’s chefs to high-quality U.S. beef products,” explained Galina Kochubeeva, USMEF representative in Greater Russia. “The workshop participants displayed a keen interest in our products and were fully engaged in the kitchen training.”