Beef Checkoff Helps Put More Veal On More Menus

                  Four restaurant chains add new veal items to the menu.

CENTENNIAL, Colo.) – As part of its “Go-to-Market” strategy, the checkoff-funded veal program has successfully added veal items to more foodservice menus. Participating establishments are: Grand Luxe Café with 14 restaurant units by the end of 2007; Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano with 20 restaurants; Carino’s Italian Grill with 170 restaurants across the U.S. and Romano’s Macaroni Grill with an estimated over 250 restaurants all across the United States. 

“2007 has been encouraging for our veal strategy team since the efforts of the past few years are starting to show promise,” said Michael Mosner, a New York veal packer and vice chair of the Joint Veal Committee for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and the Federation of State Beef Councils. “By demonstrating new applications for veal utilizing the undervalued cuts from the chuck and building relationships with chefs, the opportunity to showcase veal and increase or include veal on menus has never looked more promising.”  

New veal menu items in order of participating restaurants include:

Veal Saltimbocca:  Tender veal, fresh sage, Proscuitto and Fontina cheese coated with Parmesan breadcrumbs. Served with pasta and wine sauce.

Veal Short Ribs: (seasonal item):  Braised veal short ribs au gratin with guava and Tabasco® jalapeno chile sauce.

Veal Romesco Pasta:  Tender veal strips sauteed with roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, olives, mushrooms and fresh spinach leaves, tossed in a Roasted Red Pepper Marinara Sauce and served over pasta garnished with grated Romano cheese.

Veal Marsala:  Fresh, tender veal leg cutlets with a savory marsala wine sauce.

Robert Schafer, president of Creative Culinary Consultants of Mission Viejo, Calif., and veal development consultant, has been instrumental in working with these chains on menu development.  

“We’re proud to partner with influential restaurant operators and such as these,” said Schafer. “Veal presents a lean, nutritious, versatile option for consumers having either an upscale or casual dining experience. Through the use of checkoff dollars, we continue to strive to put more veal on more plates.”  

The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. 

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