AMES, Iowa — Culinary students from the Iowa Culinary Institute at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) learned about the beef industry and beef cuts at a Beef 101 educational workshop hosted by the Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) on April 17, 2019. The event was held in collaboration with the Iowa State University (ISU) Meats Laboratory. Over 50 students and chef instructors attended.
The workshop sessions included a presentation on Beef Grading, Aging and More, from Dr. Steven Lonergan, Professor of Meat Science and Muscle Biology at ISU. Dr. Lonergan covered information on the different grades of beef, aging beef and meat tenderness. A presentation on Beef Production – What Happens on the Farm, from Iowa Beef Center Field Specialist, Kendi Sayre, discussed how cattle are raised, what cattle eat and health products used in modern cattle production. Additionally, students were given a tour of the ISU Meats Laboratory.
The workshop concluded with a beef carcass fabrication, conducted by ISU Meats Lab staff. Dr. Joe Cordray, Jeff Mitchell, Carl Frame and Emily Usinger demonstrated the primal and subprimal cuts of the beef carcass, with a breakdown of popular and recently discovered beef cuts. Many of these newer cuts are available on restaurant menus that chefs will be preparing.
“The culinary students will be chefs in restaurants in the near future and interacting with consumers about beef menu choices,” commented Rochelle Gilman, RD and Director of Nutrition and Health for IBIC. “The Beef 101 workshop provides a first-hand opportunity to learn the basics about the beef products they will be preparing and serving to consumers.”
Students completed a pre and post event survey to determine their knowledge about beef production, cuts, grades, and aging. These results are a true testament to why this event is so valuable.Students completed a pre and post event survey to determine their knowledge about beef production, cuts, grades, and aging. These results are a true testament to why this event is so valuable.
Students completed a pre and post event survey to determine knowledge about the beef industry. Data showed that students increased their knowledge and understanding of beef production from pasture to plate by 52%. “The verbal positive feedback, paired with eye-opening survey results, shows that educational opportunities, like Beef 101, play a critical role in supplying culinary students with the tools they need to make educated beef cooking decisions and menu choices in their future careers,” stated IBIC Director of Marketing and Communications, Kylie Peterson.
The event was funded in part by the Beef Checkoff Program. Events, such as the Beef 101 educational workshop, provide opportunities for culinary students to gain hands on experience and knowledge from industry experts.
— Rochelle Gilman, Iowa Beef Industry Council
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