Brac Reef Resort chef does meat right'

Brac Reef Beach Resort chef Gregory Gooden

Friday,  July 29, 2005

A chef on Cayman Brac is one of twelve Caribbean chef finalists in the 6th International Foodservice Competition sponsored by the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

Gregory Gooden, Chef at the Brac Reef Beach Resort, was one of over 150 preliminary competitors from 18 islands from the Caribbean Basin, Bahamas and Bermuda. Thirty-five completed all entry requirements and the finalists were chosen from this number.

The competition required chefs working at foodservice operations in the Caribbean to prove (with purchase invoices) that meat used on their menus had its origins in the US. Each chef received points based on the amount and variety of US meat appearing on the menu.

The twelve finalists received the highest scores. However, to extend the reach of US red meat beyond the restaurant, participants also had to submit unique red meat recipes that could be prepared by at-home cooks.

The recipes will be the basis for a cook-off in Mexico City, where the chefs will be competing for six “winner’s spots.” The recipes will also be used in various promotions this year.

As a finalist, Mr Gooden will be going on an all-expense paid trip to Mexico City on 2 through 5 August. In Mexico, tours are set up to go to a typical “Mercado” or market, the famous pyramids of Teotihuacán, and sampling of the very traditional cuisines of Mexico.

More importantly, the twelve finalists will be competing with their recipes, along with fifteen finalists from Mexico, in a cook-off at the illustrious “Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School.”

“The interest in this foodservice competition continues to grow in the Caribbean, with more chefs using meat products from the United States on their menus,” said Elizabeth Wunderlich, Caribbean Manager of USMEF.

The number of entrants continues to increase and the competition heightens each year for that finalists spot. Ms Wunderlich also explained that these chefs rely on US red meat products to enhance their menu selections.

“The twelve Caribbean chef finalists have introduced diners to US beef, pork, lamb and veal with their unique ability to use US meat in indigenous, Caribbean-style applications,” she said.

“As a result, more people throughout the Caribbean Basin are aware of US red meat products and how to enjoy them – whether dining out or preparing a meal at home.”

USMEF is a non-profit trade association working to create new opportunities and develop existing international markets for US beef, pork, lamb and veal.

Headquartered in Denver, USMEF has offices in Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Beijing, Moscow, St Petersburg, Mexico City, Monterey, and London. USMEF also has special market representatives covering, the Middle East, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

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