PIERRE, SD - South Dakota's beef checkoff continues to reach beyond our borders to provide beef information and opportunity to culinary experts as it assisted in funding two American Culinary Federation (ACF) conferences in Chicago and Orlando this year.
Chefs across he Midwest attended the 2017 American Culinary Federation ChefConnect in Chicago hosted by beef checkoffs. South Dakota, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas work together each year to promote the beef industry through trends and news to foodservice professionals. United States foodservices sell over 7.5 billion pounds of beef each year.
A brief history of the Chicago Union Stockyards by Donald Stewart, a native from Chicago and former Cattlemen's Beef Board member, was presented as well as the evolution of beef processing and transportation.
Chef Dave Zino, executive chef for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, lead a discussion and provided beef samples regarding various tenderizing techniques, and asked for attendees to think of ways beef could improve their operations.
The other ACF convention took place at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida. Culinary students, instructors, and professional chefs all attended the 17,500-member federation. Some of the activities for the attendants included a tour of the resort's banquet and kitchen facilities, learned about catering management, a workshop lead by Chef Zino featuring ways of making Floribbean cuisine with beef value-added cuts, and an educational session entitled "Beef: Breakfast, Brunch, and Beyond" which encouraged the use of beef in morning meals.
"The ACF conference activities allows the Beef Checkoff a great opportunity to engage with a variety of culinary professionals from around the country. This is an important influential audience who we want to provide opportunities for them to learn the most current information about beef, provide hands-on engagements to inspire additional beef menu items," Holly Swee, South Dakota Beef Industry Council's Director of Nutrition & Consumer Information, said.
For more information on incorporating beef into a healthful diet contact SDBIC director of nutrition Holly Swee at
[email protected] . Visit
www.sdbeef.org and
www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com for great recipe ideas and to learn more about the South Dakota Beef Industry Council and the local beef checkoff program or call (605) 224-4722.
