Chefs get first look at new lamb cuts

As part of the event a group of chefs were given the opportunity to experience firsthand the environment in which Cornish lamb is bred and reared, including a visit to the abattoir where the meat is finished. The tour provided the chefs with an insight into lamb carcass comparison and classifications to help them understand the potential variations and results that can affect the final eating quality of the meat. The chefs were also treated to a special lamb meal at a local restaurant. The second part of the festival took place last week. Aubrey Allen invited all of the chefs from the farm tour to attend a follow-up day at its state-of-the-art production unit in Coventry. Industry experts Mike Whittemore and Dick van Leeuwen from EBLEX were on hand to give an in-depth overview of the lamb industry, plus support the messages behind the Quality Standard Mark, which guarantee tractability and eating quality. Chef director David Colcombe from Opus Restaurant in Birmingham, who attended the event, said: "The trip to the farm was outstanding. To see the lambs out in their natural environment was great. They are beautiful animals that are clearly well looked after and you could see that the quality of the meat would be excellent. "I've had to learn about meat quality through trial and error myself, whereas younger chefs are given more opportunity to get involved in butchery classes these days. The farm visit also showed the importance of understanding the rearing practices involved as well, to enable you to really appreciate the quality of the product you're buying and serving." Aubrey Allen sales manager, Simon Smith, was delighted the chefs had found the farm visit so useful. He said: "English lamb is going through a tough period at the moment, particularly due to pricing and a strong export market. As a catering butcher we are constantly trying to find ways to make the product appeal to our customers, so it's important that we keep talking to them to ensure we understand their needs." A tour of Aubrey Allen's eco-friendly production unit followed when the chefs were shown how the meat is prepared before it reaches them. The unit tour concluded with a butchery demonstration and the unveiling of the new range of lamb cuts. Other chefs to attend the festival included Richard Dutton, sous chef from Edmonds in Birmingham and Trace Buggins from the Black Horse in Bedfordshire. The new cuts, developed by Aubrey Allen's master butcher Bob Spring, will be officially launched later this summer.