DINZ chef Shannon Campbell recently presented a roadshow of mini workshops in Stockholm with Menigo.
A mini workshop is a 45 minute visit in a potential customer’s kitchen, where we present and cook four cuts. In this instance, it was three leg cuts and short ribs.
Prior to these workshops, there was a day of preparation in the Menigo test kitchen in Stockholm. The ribs were prepared so that they could be easily be presented in the client’s kitchens. A carton with all the spices and other ingredients was also prepared.
Shannon and the team presented the “Creative Menigo Cuts” to 8 restaurants in 3 days. There were a range big catering restaurants and kitchens - such as Annorlunda Catering - who are catering events, weddings, and corporate dinners to big hotels like the Sheraton.
When we enter most kitchens, chefs are very welcoming, but also under a lot of stress. After some small talk about clean green NZ and our pan-ready products, they feel more at ease.
After the small talk, Shannon has the first taste of ribs ready, which is then followed by a raw taste of sliced tenderstrip flat to demonstrate the tenderness and the clean meat taste. Then Shannon grills slices of tri-tip with cap on - tasted “au natural” and with soy sauce and mixed with butter. Finally they serve the tenderstrip round, Tataki style with a sauce and a little Kimchi.
The chefs were very interested in animal welfare, how the deer are feed and with what. They were also interested in how much carbon oxide is used for the long transport, and the total energy used to produce a kilogram of venison. All these questions are now more important for chefs and diners.
At each visit the team were grateful to have the help of an introduction from Menigo salespeople. Especially when chefs are stressed and, at times, skeptical until they understand the idea of our “Creative Cuts”. Which is of course: Pan ready, no waste, outstanding quality, usable in all kinds of kitchen styles, consistency, and available all year round.
We thank the chefs in Stockholm for attending the mini workshops and hope they they enjoyed the great quality and taste of Mountain River Venison.