FSR October 2022

S P O N S O R E D B Y T R U E A U S S I E B E E F & L A M B

The past couple of years have been as challenging as ever for foodser vice operators. Chefs, in particular, have struggled to innovate in the face of rising food and labor costs. In order to showcase howAustra lian beef and lamb can help allevi ate some of those pain points, True Aussie Beef &Lamb and FSR mag azine have teamed up to create an exciting newchef challenge. The True Aussie Beef &Lamb Chef Challengewill feature select chefs fromU.S.-based full-service res taurant groups, including: Chef BenLambert Modena | WASHINGTON D.C. Chef LeoOsofio KushbyStephen’s | MIAMI, FL Chef KevinDraper Bin 54 | CHAPEL HILL, NC Chef BrianLandry Lamb Chef Challenge Each chef will be dreaming up an innovative dish using trendy True Aussie Beef and Lamb ingredi ents. The dishes are intended to “reflect the personality of the chef and their restaurant group,” and will be showcased in the pages of FSR magazine, as well as on FSR magazine and True Aussie Beef & Lamb’s social media channels. True Aussie Beef &Lamb and FSR magazine encourage chefs looking for inspiration to follow along. The True Aussie Beef and QEDHospitality NEW ORLEANS, LA

and founder of Flashpoint Inno vation, part of the reason lamb is viewed by American diners as a premium ingredient is due to its reputation as a healthy, sustain able protein. That reputation is well earned, too— the Australian lamb industry is currently climate neutral, and the whole Australian red meat industry aims to be car bon neutral by 2030. That may be especially appealing to the grow

The growing approval of Aus tralian lamb seems to stem from a combination of factors. For one, lamb is an exciting eating expe rience during a time when that’s exactly what diners are look ing for when they go out to eat. According to the National Res taurant Association’s 2022 State of the Industry report, 75 percent of diners say their favorite res taurant foods “provide flavor and

AustralianLamb grew49 percent onmenus between 2018 and the end of 2021.

ing number of younger diners who are increasingly supporting sus tainability with their food dollars. “I think something that people here in the U.S. may not under stand is that these sustainability initiatives in Australia are driven by the farmers themselves,” Moore says. “It’s not driven by the gov ernment or public pressure. The community of farmers ultimately wanted to make these goals because they take a lot of pride in their work, and the land that they do it on. A lot of plant-based alter

taste sensations that can’t be eas ily replicated at home.” While more home cooks are preparing lamb at home than ever before, it’s still viewed as an alternative to main stays like beef and chicken. Directly related, another rea son lamb is gaining momentum on menus is due to its perception as a premium ingredient. As the indus try battles rising food and labor costs, it’s essential to find proteins that command top dollar, leading to higher margins. According to Adam Moore, chef

MEAT & LIVESTOCK AUSTRALIA

AUSSIE LAMB BURGERS WITH HARISSA BACON JAM

MEAT & LIVESTOCK AUSTRALIA