Asheville, N.C. – Sept. 25, 2019 – Jeremy Umansky, chef and partner at Larder Delicatessen & Bakery, Cleveland, was named the Culinary Innovator by the Certified Angus Beef ® brand. The award was presented at the brand’s Annual Conference, held Sept. 23-25, in Asheville, N.C. Brand partners at the conference, including meat processors, distributors, chefs, retailers and cattle ranchers, explored merchandising and marketing solutions to satisfy growing consumer demand for great-tasting beef.
The award recognized Umansky for his expertise in creating uniquely different menu items at Larder, namely the Certified Angus Beef ® brand pastrami. The European delicatessen takes its roots from ancient methods of food preservation and communal eating. All the foods are made from scratch, such as the charcuterie, baked goods and fermented pickles, using community partners, like local tomato farmers and fishers from the lake.
“Delicatessens were neighborhood community spots where all the food was made from scratch,” Umansky says. “We wanted to harken back to something that was more romantic, more community minded like that, and that’s what we set out to create with Larder.”
Over his years as a chef, Umansky has perfected his craft. He has studied the art of charcuterie and food preservation, using molds and other enzymes that bring unique flavors to the foods as they cure, such as cheese. Through lots of trial and error came the discovery of how to create very good charcuterie with less time in the aging process. Umansky’s signature charcuterie includes making Certified Angus Beef ® brand pastrami in three days as opposed to sitting it in a brine for a month. It’s a favorite among locals and renowned chefs who journey to the city and stop in to taste the pastrami sandwich for themselves.
“We are using a lot of these progressive techniques, and we are creating approachable food,” Umansky says. “When we go and create them, even though we make things that may be innovative or different, our goal is to present them in a manner that there’s lots of familiarity to them.”
About the Certified Angus Beef ® brand
World renowned for its exceptional quality and generous marbling, the Certified Angus Beef ® brand is the original brand of premium beef. It was created over 40 years ago, in 1978, and is still owned today by family ranchers who are determined to bring the best Angus beef to the table through a gate-to-plate network that also includes meat companies, retailers and chefs. Ten exacting standards ensure the beef’s superior taste and tenderness in every bite. For more information, visit CertifiedAngusBeef.com or follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn.
