Hospitality Business Magazine

NZ chefs get ready to determine the best tasting steak

A panel of New Zealand’s top chefs is gearing up to decide on the country’s most tender and tasty steak at the 2017 Beef + Lamb New Zealand Steak of Origin competition, held in association with PGG Wrightson.

With the likes of Michael Meredith from Meredith’s restaurant and Ben Bayly from restaurant’s Baduzzi and The Grove as judges, the country can rest assured that the decisions made will be the right ones says Beef + Lamb New Zealand Chief Executive Sam McIvor.

“This competition celebrates New Zealand’s high performing beef industry – both the people and the product.”

Open to all New Zealand beef farmers, retailers, wholesalers and foodservice suppliers, the 2017 competition awards a Grand Champion along with the top three finalists from each of the eight classes – six farmer classes and two brand.

Farmer classes are open to all New Zealand beef farmers and include six classes for the different breeds, European, British Angus, British Hereford, British Other, Crossbreed and Other and Lifestyle. The brand competition includes two classes retailers and wholesalers and foodservice suppliers.

The steaks being judged are in the top 20% of all entries as determined by Carne Technologies, based on tenderness, percentage of cooking loss in weight, marbling, colour, water binding capacity and pH. The panel of judges will determine which steaks are awarded a class placing and decide on the top entry in each farmer class to progress to the final excluding lifestyle.

Chef judge, Ben Bayly is looking forward to sitting on the judging panel alongside some of New Zealand’s best chefs.

“Finding the country’s best tasting steak is a job I’m sure any Kiwi would love. I have no doubt that the quality of the steaks we will be tasting will be extremely high, an element that is so important to us chefs,” says Bayly.

The chefs’ scores will contribute to 40% of the overall score, with the tenderness result contributing to 60%. Judging criteria of the cooked steak includes; aroma, taste/flavour, tenderness, juiciness and texture.

The judging is being held on 12 July at Auckland’s University of Technology (AUT). Winners will be announced at the Steak of Origin Awards Dinner in Auckland on Thursday 20 July.

CLASS 1: BEST OF BREED – EUROPEAN

  • Malcolm Entwisle, Te Kauwhata (Simmental), processed at Auckland Meat Processors
  • AA & LA Partridge, Leeston (Simmental), processed at Ashburton Meat Processors
  • Jon Knauf, Wairoa (Simmental), processed at Land Meat

CLASS 2: BEST OF BREED – BRITISH : ANGUS

  • Brian Bendall, Eketahuna (Angus), processed at Silver Fern Farms Pacific x2
  • Paul Bodle, Morrinsville (Angus), processed at Auckland Meat Processors
  • Tim & Kelly Brittain, Otorohanga (Angus), processed at Auckland Meat Processors x2
  • Forbes Cameron, Ashhurst (Angus), processed at Land Meat x2
  • Shaun Fouhy, Pahiatua (Angus), processed at Silver Fern Farms Pacific x2
  • Scott Gudsell, Masterton (Angus), processed at Cabernet Foods
  • Mike Harnett, Palmerston North (Angus), processed at Land Meat x2
  • Lindsay & Maria Johnstone, Wanganui (Angus), processed at Land Meat
  • Ceri Lewis, Otautau (Angus), processed at Silver Fern Farms Finegand x3
  • Howard Maxwell, Waiuku (Angus), processed at Auckland Meat Processors
  • Dougal Stringer, Gore (Angus), processed at Silver Fern Farms Finegand
  • Matt Wyeth, Masterton (Angus), processed at Silver Fern Farms Pacific

CLASS 3: BEST OF BREED – BRITISH : HEREFORD

  • Robin & Jacqueline Blackwell, Inglewood (Hereford), processed at Land Meat x3
  • John Morrison, Marton (Hereford), processed at Land Meat
  • Laurie Paterson, Gore (Hereford), processed at Silver Fern Farms Finegand x2

CLASS 4: BEST OF BREED – BRITISH : OTHER

  • Graeme John Dyke, Pahiatua (Red Devon), processed at Silver Fern Farms Pacific x2
  • Anita Erskine, Tuatapere (Shorthorn), processed at Silver Fern Farms Finegand

CLASS 5: BEST OF BREED – CROSSBREED & OTHER

  • John & Jan Bellamy, Ruawai (Speckle Park X), processed at Silver Farm Farms Dargaville
  • Michael McCool, Auckland (Wagyu), processed at Auckland Meat Processors
  • AA & LA Partridge, Leeston (Charolais / Simmental), processed at Ashburton Meat Processors
  • AA & LA Partridge, Leeston (Simmental / Angus), processed at Ashburton Meat Processors x2
  • AA & LA Partridge, Leeston (Limousin X), processed at Ashburton Meat Processors
  • AA & LA Partridge, Leeston (Simmental / Jersey), processed at SilverFern Farms Belfast
  • Katherine Robertson, Piopio (Speckle Park), processed at Auckland Meat Processors
  • Tom Savage, Gisborne (Hereford/Shortcorn X), processed at Land Meat x3

CLASS 6: BEST OF BREED – LIFESTYLE

  • Janie McPhee, Levin (Speckle Park), processed at Land Meat

CLASS 7: BEST OF BRAND – RETAIL

  • AngusPure, Otorohanga (Angus), processed at Auckland Meat Processors
  • Bowmont Meats (Hereford Prime), Invercargill (Hereford), processed at Bowmont Meats
  • Chefs Choice (Ranui Angus), Wanganui (Angus), processed at Auckland Meat Processors
  • Countdown (Countdown Angus), Auckland (Angus), processed at Auckland Meat Processors x3
  • Harris Meats, Cheviot (Angus X), processed at Harris Meats
  • New World Melody’s (AngusPure), Palmerston North (Angus), processed at Silver Fern Farms Pacific x3
  • PAK’nSAVE Gisborne (AngusPure), Gisborne (Angus), processed at Silver Fern Farms Pacific
  • Westmeat Christchurch (Hereford Prime), Christchurch (Hereford), processed at CMP Kokiri

CLASS 8: BEST OF BRAND – WHOLESALE & FOODSERVICE

  • Angus Meats (Angus Reserve), Christchurch (Angus), processed at Ashburton Meat Processors
  • AngusPure, Otorohanga (Angus), processed at Auckland Meat Processors
  • Bowmont Meats (Hereford Prime), Invercargill (Hereford), processed at Bowmont Meats
  • Cabernet Foods (Everton Dry Aged Beef), Carterton (Hereford), processed at Progressive Meats
  • Chefs Choice (Ranui Angus), Wanganui (Angus), processed at Auckland Meat Processors
  • Chef Ready Meats, Hamilton (Hereford), processed at AFFCO Horotiu
  • Countdown (Countdown Angus), Auckland (Angus), processed at Auckland Meat Processors
  • Hip Group, Waimauku (Shorthorn), processed at Auckland Meat Processors
  • Neat Meat (Angus Pure), Auckland (Angus), processed at Auckland Meat Processors