“Demand for visual appeal and great taste is changing how beef is cut and menued,” says Sara Scott, the brand’s vice president of foodservice. “Chefs are coming to us and working hand-in-hand with distributors in cut rooms to craft novelty cuts, such as bone-in steaks, to bring delightfully unique presentations with layers of flavor to the table like never before.”
Prime Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, was named the Steakhouse of the Year by the Certified Angus Beef ® brand. Located downtown, Prime Cincinnati offers customers a place to celebrate and enjoy great-tasting steaks. At each table, staff share a wooden cutting board of steaks, including those that are dry-aged, and explain the brand’s quality. A dedicated refrigerator in the restaurant is used to dry age the beef, including shoulder clod that is specifically used to make burgers. Staff tastings and explanations about how the dishes are prepared build a passion for great food among the entire staff, adding details they can share with customers as they choose their meals.
Jeremy Umansky, of Larder Delicatessen & Bakery, Cleveland, Ohio, was honored as the Culinary Innovator. The award recognized Umansky for his expertise in creating uniquely different menu items at Larder, namely the Certified Angus Beef ® brand pastrami. Over his years as a chef, Umansky has studied the art of charcuterie and food preservation, using molds and other enzymes that bring unique flavors to the foods as they cure. Through trial and error came the discovery of how to create very good 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 stop in to taste it for themselves.
Josh Moore, of Volare Italian Ristorante, Louisville, Ky., was named the Chef of the Year. Moore is executive chef and managing partner of the fine-dining Italian restaurant, where dinner only is served seven days a week. The menu features house-made pastas and pastries, local produce, seafood and Certified Angus Beef ® brand steaks. The New York strip steaks are top sellers, a favorite of restaurant guests and for parties in the restaurant’s back dining room. Through his dedication to serving the best, Moore and his wife, Lindsay, own a small farm and raise produce for the restaurant, adding to the unique experience that he offers guests.
Buckhorn Steakhouse, Winters, Calif., was recognized as the Legendary Steakhouse. Celebrating 40 years in business, Buckhorn Steakhouse has become a destination restaurant known for impeccable service and serving the Certified Angus Beef ® brand. The restaurant serves classic steaks, like filet mignon, ribeye, tomahawk and N.Y. strip, as well as its signature tri-tip and 10 menu items from the top sirloin. Most cuts are aged 60 days for the finest flavor, and all are hand-cut by the restaurant’s own in-house butcher. A custom training program helps the waitstaff share information with patrons about the brand of beef, which it has offered for nearly 25 years, and answer any questions guests have.
Swig & Swine, Charleston, S.C., was honored as the Legendary Establishment in BBQ. At Swig & Swine, the Certified Angus Beef ® brand’s story is entwined with the restaurant’s own. Barbecue enthusiast, pitmaster and owner Anthony DiBernardo promotes the brand at every opportunity, especially on social media and at events. Featuring the brand at the Charleston Wine & Food festival is just a taste of his efforts to share beef, barbecue and brand knowledge with consumers.
Cactus Club Café, Vancouver, B.C., received the International Restaurant Chain of the Year award. Cactus Club Café has grown with the brand over 17 years to have 30 restaurants now. Under the culinary direction of Canada’s first Iron Man Chef Rob Feenie, each location serves Certified Angus Beef ® brand steaks and burgers, which are regularly promoted in social media and advertising. The Calgary location held a dinner with a local Angus cattle family and Carl Dean, the Cactus Club’s vice president of procurement, to share their joint focus on quality and the beef brand’s family heritage.
Chuck’s Steak House was named the Restaurant Marketer of the Year. A hotspot on Myrtle Beach’s Grand Strand, Chuck’s Steakhouse set the bar on quality by adding Certified Angus Beef ® brand Prime to its menu offerings. The product was featured in the restaurant’s magazine advertisements, social media contests, website and 40th anniversary promotions. An annual marketing plan guides the team to advance the steakhouse’s success each year.
Stella, Bucaramanga, Colombia, received the International Restaurant of the Year award. An innovative, newer restaurant in the region, Stella is setting the bar on quality with Certified Angus Beef ® brand steaks and burgers. A team training program was created, even before the restaurant opened, to ensure a consistent message from the start. A beef sommelier explains the brand’s quality to customers and helps them choose their steaks. Throughout the year, Stella has led customers to its doors through magazine, newspaper, social media and airport advertising.
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 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.
