Texas Chef Touting Beef in Visit to South Dakota

  PIERRE (October 31, 2006)—Chef Richard Chamberlain is no stranger to beef country. Chamberlain is owner and executive chef of two renowned restaurants in Dallas , the big city in the heart of a state known for its cattle and cowboys.

            That means he should be right at home when he travels to South Dakota in early November to promote The Healthy Beef Cookbook. Chamberlain will conduct book signings in Rapid City , Pierre , Aberdeen and Sioux Falls November 6-8.

            “We’re very excited to have Chef Chamberlain in South Dakota ,” says Pat Blum, Reliance, S.D., rancher who has worked with the Texas-based beef connoisseur. Blum represented the beef industry at the launch of The Healthy Beef Cookbook at the American Dietetic Association’s Food & Nutrition Conference and Expo. Chamberlain was at the conference in St. Louis , Mo. , to demonstrate some of the Cookbook’s 130-plus lean beef recipes to dietitians.

The Cookbook is the result of a beef checkoff-funded partnership between the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), on behalf of The Beef Checkoff, and the American Dietetic Association. Chamberlain co-authored the book with registered dietitian Betsy Hornick.

            “Chamberlain is a nationally known chef who understands beef is a nutrient-rich source of protein, iron, zinc and B-vitamins in a healthy diet,” says Blum, who works as a nurse in addition to partnering with her husband Bart on the family ranch. She adds that the Cookbook, available wherever books are sold, includes nutrition information and culinary techniques.

“All recipes were at least triple-tested by experts at the checkoff-funded Culinary Center in Chicago to ensure that they would be easy to prepare and great tasting,” explains Blum, who is a member of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board (CBB), the body that oversees the $1-per-head beef checkoff.

            The South Dakota Beef Industry Council (SDBIC) is bringing Chamberlain to the state to talk to consumers and health professionals about the Cookbook and the benefits of cooking with beef.

Peggy Bieber, owner of Little Professor Book Center in Aberdeen , says she expects a good turnout for the book signing in her store on November 7. “It’s a really a nice cookbook with beautiful photography,” says Bieber. “These are excellent, low-fat recipes that people are able to make at home.” She adds that book signings provide a unique opportunity. “When you bring in an author, it creates excitement,” she adds. “It gives a chance for a dialogue between author and reader.”

Chamberlain, owner and executive chef of Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House in Dallas and a fifth-generation Texan, has been traveling the country demonstrating recipes from the Cookbook, signing books and visiting with the media, including an interview on NBC’s Today Show this summer. His visit to South Dakota , says Blum, will provide beef producers a chance to see their checkoff dollars in action.

“When a nationally acclaimed chef can talk about his positive experiences with today’s lean beef, it will certainly resonate with consumers,” says Blum.

Chamberlain will be at:

  The SDBIC collects and administers the beef checkoff on cattle sold in South Dakota . Checkoff dollars are utilized strictly for promotion, education or research programs. At least 50 cents of every dollar is directed to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board for programs on the national level. The SDBIC can retain up to 50 cents, which it can invest in additional national programs or in-state programs.

            The SDBIC is comprised of three representatives from eight agricultural organizations: SD Beef Breeds Council, SD Cattlemen’s Association, SD Cattlemen’s Auxiliary, SD CattleWomen, SD Farm Bureau Federation, SD Farmers Union, SD Livestock Market Association, and SD Stockgrowers Association.