Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) recently hosted the very first Aussie Meat Academy in Thailand, offering professional chefs & foodies a hands-on masterclass in all things Australian beef and lamb.
Several eager, meat-loving Thai chefs and foodies signed up to attend this exciting event, which was held at the Cape Dara Resort Pattaya, a luxury five-star hotel on the beachfront in Pattaya.
One of MLA’s remits is to help better educate chefs, food service professionals, the hospitality industry and consumers about the benefits of selecting quality Australian meat products for their plates.
With the Aussie Meat Academy, MLA is providing the participating chefs with a truly immersive experience, where they can learn and take away insider knowledge to enhance not only their red meat cooking skills but also add to the offering at each of their restaurants. The event also gave the Thai chefs the opportunity to share their own insights, tips, and techniques and build a community where they can continue to learn from each other and forge stronger bonds within the industry.
The Lambassador Initiative is a global project identifying influential food professionals passionate about cooking with Australian lamb. Beginning in Japan, it has now expanded to new regions, including South East Asia, the Middle East and North America. The programme aims to strengthen international exports to new and established markets and has now added Aussie Beef Mates, a global beef ambassador project that identifies influential food professionals committed to actively growing the global profile of Australian Beef to help chefs better understand the protein choices they have from Australia.
Another feature of the event was the cooking demonstrations by the Japanese and Thai Lambassadors, where they wielded their considerable lamb cooking skills with each chef showcasing a favourite recipe, those being a succulent Lamb Crown, Rack-Of-Lamb Genghis Khan Style and also a mouth-watering Thai dishes like Khao Soi Lamb Shank and Short Rib with Red Curry BBQ Sauce.
Spencer Whitaker – Market Development Manager – Asia-Pacific, Meat & Livestock Australia said, “We were incredibly excited to be introducing the Aussie Meat Academy to Thailand and the positive feedback we received from the participating chefs was a pleasure to hear. Thailand is an ever-growing market for us and the more opportunities we have to help those who cook the food, those who serve the food, and those who eat the food is something we are focussed on and will continue to do more. The chefs had a unique opportunity to be immersed in everything about Aussie beef and lamb. They were shown cutting and cooking methods and they learned all about the farming and quality control standards in Australia that ensure they will always receive the best possible protein available. Australia invests millions of dollars annually to ensure the Australian red meat industry continues to go from strength to strength and lands on more plates, in more countries, every year.”
The Aussie Meat Academy was a mix of education and chef bonding with some good old-fashioned Aussie style fun thrown in for good measure. The beef and lamb masterclass and the cooking creativity workshop provided a deeper understanding of what is possible when you use high-quality Australian-raised beef and lamb, every nuance of the proteins was discussed and explained in absolute detail. But it wasn’t all education, the chefs were also treated to an Australian beef and lamb BBQ night, where they could mingle and chat amidst the backdrop of beautiful beach and ocean views.
Chef Ben Sarotjitti, the owner and chef at TanKun restaurant said, “Throughout my career as a chef I have served many steaks and beef-based Thai dishes and I can honestly say that when I use Australian beef my Thai customers are always wanting more, it really is a favourite with diners. And I am planning to add Australian lamb to my restaurant’s menu too. So, that is why I jumped at the chance to take part in this programme, it really did show me some new technical skills pertaining to preparing and cooking beef & lamb, it is an experience I will never forget.”
Chef Airbus, Keetapash Panpiemrasda, owner of RIBSMANNN restaurant in Khao Yai, and the youngest chef in this programme said, “This immersion programme has been such an invaluable experience for me, not only did I gain some additional knowledge about Australian beef and lamb I also got to meet and network with some of my peers in the restaurant industry. I believe you can never have enough knowledge when it comes to cooking, so I love to grab every opportunity I can to learn more. As a 3rd generation chef and owner of the RIBSMANNN I feel it is my obligation to my family to continue to cook and serve only the best possible food for my customers. I hope there are many more activities like this one.”
Australia is held in high regard worldwide for its dedication to ethical and sustainable farming and processing standards, and it’s this rigorous dedication to quality combined with pristine farmlands that leads to some of the best paddock-to-plate produce available. And, as the Thailand market continues to thrive due to the demand for premium quality Australian red meat from Thai consumers, MLA remains committed to helping food professionals, home cooks, and consumers all gain a better understanding of why good red meat is a good choice and good for them.
Spencer Whitaker added, “The reception we received for this event has shown to us that there is absolutely a hunger for Aussie beef and lamb in Thailand, so any chef that missed out this time can rest assured there will be more events like this in the future.”
For anyone who missed joining this Aussie Meat Academy immersion event and is interested in taking part in the next or any other Australian beef and lamb activities should please follow the website https://www.trueaussie.co.th for all upcoming events and news.ฃ
