HOT TRENDSCOOL CHEFS
America’s brightest culinary stars put a NEW TWIST on Australian Lamb
AustrAliAn lAmb And the trend to smAll plAtes
In an industry where entrées and generous serving sizes are the norm, some operators are now dis-tinguishing themselves by offering just the opposite — small plates. The trend to small plates and sam-pling dishes is well documented in the United States foodservice industry. It’s a trend that is truly in play and one that will continue to evolve and develop.
In conjunction with the small plate concept, a seemingly endless selection of wines and boutique beers are now available. Many restaurants boast extensive inter-national wine lists, sophisticated pairing and tasting notes and of
course wines by the glass; in some cases with up to 100 selections from which to choose. These two changes mean that diners can now experience a number of food items paired perfectly with a range of dif-ferent wine or beer options.
AustrAliAn lAmb And the elusive consumer
Consumer research conducted by Australian lamb has told us three important things: lamb regularly appears as an entrée option on the menu of successful restaurants; consumption is largely with the baby boomer generation; and the younger generations are interested in trying lamb but see an expensive entrée as a ‘risky’ option.
Armed with this knowledge, we reviewed research on the needs and aspirations of the younger generations and con-cluded that they expect and seek out the unique flavors of ethnic foods including Mexican, French, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Asian inspired dishes.
They also expect the variety of-fered by smaller serving sizes to be healthy, all-natural options which allow them to reward themselves and their friends guilt free.
For this reason we see a wonder-ful opportunity for Australian lamb and small plate applications which meet the demands of younger con-sumers in relation to flavor, health, enjoyment, convenience and individuality.
We conducted a national search and identified nine chefs who were doing innovative things with their menus, wine lists and restaurant concept and asked them to contribute their favorite Australian lamb bar food, appetizer or lunch menu recipe. this booklet is the result.
American consumers now spend more than half of their food dollars on
meals and snacks at foodservice facilities. With this in mind, Australian
lamb developed a program to demonstrate the opportunity for foodser-
vice operators to diversify the application of lamb on their menus.
I n T r o d U C T I o n
B r A d F A r m e r i ePUblIC rESTAUrAnT
nEw York CITY
Chef brad dishes up global fusion cuisine—naturally.
The london-trained American chef draws culinary inspiration from Australia to turn familiar
regional favorites into international sensations. Chef Brad takes bar food to another level with his Grilled
Lamb Sliders with Harissa Aioli. By using Australian lamb in a familiar format, he invites diners to explore a fresh new taste without leaving their culinary comfort zone.
Slide into something familiar
Visitors to indebleu don’t need to commit to a full entrée to rediscover classic lamb chops. Chef Vikram selects consistently fresh Australian lamb for his Tandoori lamb chops, which showcase his harmonious blend of spices.
A fresh take on a classic chop
V i k r A m G A r GIndEblEU, wAShIngTon, dC
From Mumbai to dubai,
Chef Vikram has taken flavor
around the world. Since landing
at indebleu, he has perfected his
own unique version of a true
Indian classic.
It takes two to taquitoChef Randy’s Lamb Taquitos combine casual with international to create a huge hit with the sophis-ticated palates at Nacional 27. The mild flavor of Australian lamb makes an ideal foundation for these tempting Latin favorites.
r A n d y Z w e i B A nnACIonAl 27, ChICAgo
Chef randy’s expertise and passion for modern latin cuisine
have turned heads in Chicago and around the country. The
innovative menu at nacional 27 is gaining him national media
attention from The Food network, Bon Appetit and Gourmet,
among others.
Mouthwatering miniatures — a true triple treat Chef Josiah makes tough decisions easier by offering his combination Lamb Croustillant, Parmantier and Brochette with yogurt Basil Cucumber Sauce and Cilantro mint emulsion. It’s the ultimate adventure sampler, made possible by the versatility of Australian lamb.
J o S i A H C i T r i nMélISSE rESTAUrAnT,
loS AngElES
with a flair for all things French, Chef Josiah coaxes exquisite
flavors out of unlikely pairings. his artistry has earned him
tremendous critical and popular acclaim, including Zagat’s 2008 “Best Restaurant in Los Angeles”
and two Michelin Stars.
healthy finger food comes naturally Finger food may never be the same again, thanks to Josie’s roast Leg of Lamb Sandwiches with manchego and Spicy Cole Slaw. nobody crafts a sandwich quite like Chef Josie, and her diners are discovering that lean, tender Australian lamb fits naturally between sliced bread.
J o S i e L e B A L C HJoSIE rESTAUrAnT
loS AngElES
highly acclaimed and progressive,
lA’s Chef Josie slices up
imaginative offerings that deliver
the healthy, all-natural options
demanded by her patrons.
rare fare, any way you slice it
nobody can doubt Chef Jimmy’s commitment to bold concepts when he serves dishes like Seared Lamb Carpaccio with egg and Scallions. Australian lamb’s unprecedented record for food safety allows Jimmy to serve his original creations with complete confidence.
J i m m y B r A d L e yThE rEd CAT, nEw York
Chef Jimmy knows what
works in nYC eateries. The
secret to his success? A bold
approach to seasonal fare that
brings high cuisine home to
neighborhood haunts.
light fare with flair is a big hit at Crush, especially when Chef Jason serves up his morrocan-style Lamb Sausages. This dish mixes Arabic accents with natural Australian lamb, so even your most health-conscious patrons can explore unique flavors.
let diners go mini-dipping—guilt free
J A S o n w i L S o n CrUSh, SEATTlE
The Pacific region’s passion for organic and seasonal fare
inspired Chef Jason’s romantic and much acclaimed Crush restaurant. his mastery of culinary knowledge earned him recognition as one of
Food & Wine’s 10 best new Chefs of 2006.
Chef Michelle’s Australian Lamb T-Bone with eggplant and Harissa Terrine sits somewhere between exotic appetizer and exquisite entrée. The delicious taste of Australian lamb allows her to serve up small dishes big on flavor.
Exquisite flavor down to a Tm i C H e L L e B e r n S T e i n MIChYS rESTAUrAnT, MIAMI
From ballerina to Mandarin oriental head chef—her life story is as rich as her
food. Chef Michelle draws inspiration from sources as
diverse as Asia, France and the
Caribbean, always maintaining a strong latin beat.
roll a little variety into your menu
More than past generations, today’s 20-and 30-some-things embrace dining diversity and eagerly seek out new culinary experiences. To satisfy this adventurous crowd, Chef Andrew uses tender Australian lamb in his casual Coconut Curried Lamb Spring rolls with Lime yoghurt.
A n d r e w o r m S B yTUCkEr rESTAUrAnT, dAllAS
Ever since this native Australian landed stateside,
Chef Andrew has mixed variety, flavor and a contagious spirit of fun into everything he
creates for his clientele.
© 2007 Meat & Livestock Australia | Design: Levine & Associates, Inc. | Photography: Renée CometFeatured dishes are the intellectual property of the chefs featured in this publication.
AustrAliAn lAmb At Your bAr Australian lamb delivers value to food-service operators through consistency, integrity and versatility. The Australian lamb industry’s quality assurance sys-tems are among the most stringent in the world, and all products exported to the United States meet U.S. standards.
our industry is recognized interna-tionally as being free from the major diseases of cattle and sheep and our
strict quarantine regulations work to keep things that way.
Australian lamb sold in the United States is specially bred, raised and se-lected for its mild and delicious flavor. our lambs commonly feed on pasture-based diets without hormone-growth promotants, resulting in an all-natural product, free of artificial additives.
our lambs are processed year round and packaged under a wide range of
cuts delivering consistently high yield-ing products ready for immediate use in your restaurant — making Australian lamb a valuable asset to your business and an essential item in your kitchen.
For information on how Australian lamb can work for your restaurant contact your local distributor. or visit the trade section of our web site at www.australian-lamb.com for a copy of our Australian lamb product guide.
m e A T & L i V e S T o C k A u S T r A L i An o r T H A m e r i C A n o F F i C e
1401 k Street, nw Suite 602washington dC 20005
202.521.2551 main202.521.2699 fax