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‘Chef Table’ in Guangzhou Promotes U.S. Red Meat in Cantonese Cooking

Published: Apr 07, 2021

Providing U.S. red meat options for Cantonese-style cooking in southern China, USMEF utilized two local food experts for a two-day “Chef Table” seminar that also introduced U.S. beef and pork quality attributes to the local hotel, restaurant and institutional (HRI) sector.

Funded by the USDA Market Access Program (MAP), the Beef Checkoff Program and the National Pork Board, the seminar in Guangzhou was led by Philip Ho, a food consultant and gourmet critic with thousands of social media followers, and Bill Feng, chief chef at the Lingnan House, a Cantonese restaurant in Guangzhou.

On the first day, 15 key members of the food media participated while chefs from 17 regional restaurant chains joined the second day.

Ho and Feng developed a menu featuring eight Cantonese cuisine courses using U.S. red meat. They explained the attributes of U.S. beef and pork, offering perspectives on cooking with several cuts and led a discussion about ways to prepare and serve various dishes.

The sessions were shared on Ho and Feng’s separate WeChat accounts and attracted more than 15,000 viewers.

“Local chefs learned new ideas for elevating Cantonese cuisine with U.S. red meat,” said Ming Liang, USMEF marketing director in China. “For example, Cantonese-style barbecued pork normally uses local pork shoulder, but it is prone to be overcooked and dry. To improve the flavor, Chef Feng turned to U.S. pork belly – it has more fat to create a soft and rich flavor. He also coated the skinless pork belly with a crispy skin by grilling it, enriching its texture with more layers.”

Local chefs were shown various options for incorporating U.S. beef and pork into Cantonese cuisine

Liang said the activity was a good opportunity to promote U.S. red meat in southern China through the professionals who make menu decisions.

“By helping regional chefs learn more about how to utilize our product, we effectively inspire them to use creative cooking methods using U.S. beef and pork,” he explained. “As a result, customers will have more chances to enjoy U.S. red meat at restaurants and foodservice outlets and then ultimately, to choose to cook with U.S. products at home.”