Strengthening Beef's Place Among Culinary Professionals

Building communities is all about bringing people together over shared interests. Texas Beef Council (TBC) is doing just that through platforms like Beef Loving Texans, a brand that taps into Texan traditions and our love for all things beef. From families on a recipe search to fitness enthusiasts, health professionals, educators and more, TBC connects people with the relevant beef resources they are looking for.

And few are as integral to keeping beef center of the plate than chefs and foodservice professionals. Created by TBC in 2018, Beef Loving Chefs is a community of chefs that share a passion for preparing beef. TBC provides this group with videos, research and tools to help incorporate beef on their menus. Most importantly, Beef Loving Chefs continues to reinforce TBC as a trusted source by educating foodservice professionals about the science of beef and introducing them to the producers who get it to our tables.

Since its inception, Beef Loving Chefs has grown its influencer database to include 2,500 foodservice professionals. TBC promotes beef to this influential group in numerous ways and has grown the program to offer resources and professional development opportunities, including an educational summit.

The second-annual Beef Loving Chefs Summit was held August 30-31 at the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio. The event brought chefs together from different sectors of foodservice like restaurants, healthcare, education and hospitality. The chefs learned about the beef lifecycle, beef producers’ commitment to sustainability and animal welfare, and how carcass quality is evaluated from beef industry experts. The Summit was also highly interactive, allowing attendees to take part in a beef sensory panel and cutting demonstrations.

"Working with the Culinary Institute of America strengthens our relationships with its chef instructors and administration," said Chef Robert Hale, manager of culinary and foodservice at TBC. "Bringing chefs together to a world-class facility not only strengthens our bond with the chef community, but allows us to deliver our message to an audience who is eager to learn."

Beef continued taking center stage at the Culinary Institute’s campus in San Antonio in late September for “Beef Week”. Chef Hale guest-lectured and led students through a beef sensory exercise. Unique beef dishes were also highlighted every night at Savor, the Culinary Institute’s student-led restaurant, including beef tartare, ribeye aguachile, beef short rib mole and beef tallow graham cracker for dessert.

“We are so excited to continue our long-lasting relationship with the Texas Beef Council. The support TBC provides the Culinary Institute of America and our students is invaluable,” said Steve Swofford, advancement officer of alumni relations for the Culinary Institute of America. “Bringing programs like Beef Week and the Beef Loving Chefs Summit to campus helps expose our students to industry education and shows the commitment TBC has made to the future of the culinary industry.”

Click here to learn more about Beef Loving Chefs and other programs across retail and foodservice.