“Train the Trainer” Program Shares U.S. Red Meat Attributes with Chinese Culinary Instructors

Working to educate culinary instructors in southern China about the quality and taste of U.S. beef and pork, USMEF partnered with the USDA Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) in Guangzhou to host a “train the trainer” program. Funded by the Beef Checkoff Program and the National Pork Board, the initiative included cooking demonstrations, tasting sessions and introductions to several cuts, including U.S. beef chuck roll and U.S. pork CT butt.

Culinary instructors in Guangzhou, China, gather around a U.S. beef and pork cooking demonstration held during a “train the trainer” program hosted by USMEF and the USDA Agricultural Trade Office

USMEF is a subcontractor of the Beef Checkoff Program and a subcontractor of the National Pork Board.

“We previously focused our efforts on promoting U.S. beef and pork in the hotel, restaurant and institutional (HRI) and retail sectors in the southern part of China, but this was a new approach,” said Ming Liang, USMEF marketing director in China. “We think it is important to keep culinary teachers and students updated on U.S. red meat recipe and menu ideas and on any new cuts that may fit well in China’s culinary scene. When the future chefs and kitchen managers graduate and go to work, we want them to know how to prepare U.S. beef and pork in restaurants or hotels.”

About 40 instructors from the Guangdong Trade School’s culinary division and its Sino-American baking school participated in the seminar. The culinary division trains an average of 600 student chefs each year.

“The goal was to show the instructors what makes the U.S. a great food nation,” said Liang. “They were taught how to prepare American-style dishes and develop ways to integrate U.S. ingredients into their own cooking and in the lessons they give to their students, who typically go on to work in restaurants and hotels throughout China.”

Participants in the program sample U.S. beef and pork to get a taste of new recipe and menu ideas that can be shared with their students

During the workshop, a presentation was given by Shanghai Chef Lai Shengqiang, who has years of experience working with culinary schools and with U.S. red meat. An overview of the U.S. beef and pork industries was followed by a lesson on proper handling methods for U.S. chilled and frozen meat.

Some of the culinary instructors participating in the “train the trainer” program pose for a group photo with dishes they prepared using U.S. beef and pork

Discussion topics also included American-style barbecue and other popular dishes in the Chinese market that utilize red meat.

A cooking demonstration and tasting featured U.S. beef boneless ribeye and U.S. pork French rack. Participants were also introduced to U.S. pork CT butt and U.S. beef chuck roll, striploin, boneless short ribs and top blade.

The culinary instructors were then given cuts of U.S. beef and pork to prepare, cook and eat.