NEWPORT BEEF RECOGNIZED IN CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Chefs, retailers, food distributors, beef companies and family farmers take pride in delivering great-tasting beef to consumers. In honor of their dedication to excellence, the Certified Angus Beef ® brand recognized leaders in product quality, marketing and sales. The awards were presented at the brand’s Annual Conference, held in Maui Sept. 26-28, where partners celebrated the brand’s 40th anniversary, and explored merchandising and marketing solutions to satisfy growing demand for premium beef.
The Taste of Texas restaurant, in Houston, was named a Legendary Steakhouse. For 40 years, the Taste of Texas has been known for its southern charm, hospitality and fine cuisine. Owners Edd and Nina Hendee began serving Certified Angus Beef ®brand steaks in 1984, just six years in business, to match the fresh-from-scratch quality and flavor of their food. The beef is hand-cut, hand-trimmed, aged 40 days and regularly featured in the restaurant’s social media communications.
Red, the Steakhouse, with locations in Cleveland, Indianapolis and Miami, was named the Steakhouse of the Year. The restaurants serve up contemporary steak with a classical twist, as Chef Peter Vauthy and crew layer food and flavors with a distinctive steakhouse style featuring Certified Angus Beef ® brand Prime. Through training, the entire restaurant team understands the product’s quality and readily shares that knowledge with guests who frequent the steakhouses for their premier level of quality and service.
Chef Simon Brown of Seafood R’Evolution, Ridgeland, Miss., was recognized with the Culinary Innovator award. As a youngster in Scotland, Chef Brown was taught to use every single cut of meat, so he created a braised beef cut that offers guests the flavor and appeal of steak. His short rib tomahawk starts with a Certified Angus Beef ® brand three-bone rib, which he hand cuts, trims and rolls to resemble the Frenched tomahawk steak. Chef Brown slow cooks the beef with his signature sauce for a wintertime menu favorite.
Palace Resorts, based in Cancun, Mexico, was recognized for Culinary Excellence in the Luxury Category. Palace Resorts hosted travel and food media tours and kitchen time with Chef Tony Biggs from the Certified Angus Beef ® brand, leading to a wave of social media communications and a greater number of followers. The all-inclusive properties in Mexico feature the brand at restaurants on all properties.
Ikinari Steak, Tokyo, was recognized as the International Steakhouse of the Year. The restaurant group’s menu and advertisements offer the Certified Angus Beef ®brand for lunch and dinner. Ikinari Steak has rapidly grown to 300 locations in just five years.
JOEY Restaurant Group, based in Coquitlam, British Columbia, was named the International Chain Restaurant of the Year. In addition to regular promotions, waitstaff training at Saltlik and JOEY locations and a tabletop rancher card have led customers to order Certified Angus Beef ® brand Prime steaks. The restaurant group has been offering the branded beef on menus for 20 years, demonstrating commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.
Distributors and Specialty Meat Companies
Sysco Central Florida, in Ocoee, received the Foodservice Commitment to Integrity award. The team is in tune with the needs of local chefs and restaurateurs, and identifies quality-minded accounts that are best suited for the Certified Angus Beef ® brand. Through training and company-wide commitment to the brand, the distributor works closely with accounts to ensure the beef is correctly identified on menus.
Sysco Detroit, Canton, Mich., was recognized as the Foodservice Rising Star for providing chefs and restaurateurs with fresh and value-added beef items to meet their individual needs. The team reaches out to customers with the brand’s quality and provides on-site training in a dedicated, educational space for hands-on experience. The team also ensures customers correctly identify the beef on menus and serves the best cuts for valued guests.
Lone Star Meats, Austin, Texas, was named the Specialty Meat Company Marketer of the Year. For more than 30 years, Lone Star Meats has been a leader in hand cutting Certified Angus Beef ® brand steaks for local chefs. The team also offers the brand’s premier Prime and Natural products to signature restaurants in Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth.
Sysco Montana, Billings, Mont., was named the Broadline Foodservice Distributor Marketer of the Year. Sysco Montana delivers top-quality steaks and scratch-made beef items to restaurants in the region. Beef demonstrations at the company’s food show, ground beef training for the staff and regular promotions gave customers more menu options for their culinary creations.
Lombardi Brothers Meats, Denver, Colo., received the Foodservice Brand Extension Marketer of the Year award. For more than 30 years, Lombardi Brothers Meats has carved a niche in Colorado for delivering hand-cut beef to chefs and restaurants. The company also added Certified Angus Beef ® brand Prime and Natural offerings, giving customers a wider selection of beef menu items for valued guests.
Sysco Boston, Plympton, Mass., was named the Foodservice Value-added Products Marketer of the Year. Sysco Boston offers an array of top-quality, fresh and timesaving beef items for restaurants in nearly every category of foodservice. Products were featured at a seminar for healthcare services, including newly launched marinated beef tips, marking its 10th year offering the branded beef.
