Grand Hyatt Manila’s Executive Chef Mark Hagan recently showcased the versatility and excellent quality of natural, grass-fed Irish beef and pork from Europe in a unique online Chef Masterclass. Bord Bia – the Irish Government Food Board, with co-funding from the European Union, organized this event for a select group of chefs, culinary students and media on February 25th in The Cellar Kitchen of the Grand Hyatt Manila.
In 2019, the European Union selected Ireland to implement a co-funded campaign promoting European Pork & Beef in the Philippines. Ireland, being the largest net exporter of beef in the European Union, exports exceptional pork and beef around the world. Dedicated Irish family producers are fully invested in producing the highest quality food in harmony with nature, producing natural and sustainable food is their passion. Ireland is a small island on the edge of Europe, with a population of just 5 million people, yet it produces enough food to feed 25 million. The Irish people are passionate about the food they produce and they want to share them to the world. As such, it is widely endorsed by over 40 Michelin-starred chefs across the globe primarily because of the meat’s tenderness and rich flavour, making it the top choice for chefs looking to satisfy the more health and environmentally conscious consumer while maintaining great taste and texture.
Mr. Jack Hogan, Bord Bia Market Specialist said, “We are very pleased with our latest European Pork & Beef activity in the Philippines, the Chef Masterclass. This hybrid activity demonstrates the high quality meat which Europe/Ireland offers to the Philippines market.” He also added that “Ireland’s trading relationship with the Philippines can be traced back many decades ago. In fact, Ireland is one of the largest suppliers of beef to the Philippines. We have developed a very strong long-lasting relationship with our local partners and are fully-focused on growing our exports of quality meats to the market. The Philippines is Ireland’s number one destination for our beef exports to Asia, and is our 3rd largest destination for our pork exports to Asia. We look forward to continued growth and providing opportunities for the public to try our quality meat from Ireland.”
Teaming up with Bord Bia and the European Union, is Chef Mark Hagan, who hails from Ireland. Chef Mark was the Executive Chef and the F&B Director in Grant Hyatt Bali Hotel prior to joining Grand Hyatt Manila. Chef Mark was a Silver Medalist in the 2016 Culinary Olympics representing Ireland. For this masterclass, he took consideration of the Filipinos’ love for their meats and developed two (2) recipes using Irish pork and beef from Europe, Confit Pork Belly and Grilled Beef Striploin.
Moving forward, Ireland is backing up its commitment to the Philippines market by implementing a jam-packed schedule of promotional activities in 2021. Following the success of the first-ever online competition, East Meets West Culinary Competition in 2020, the next installment of this competition for the second half of 2021 is already in the pipeline. The competition provided an opportunity for chefs and culinary students to showcase their talents to a wide audience during what continues to be a very difficult period for the foodservice industry.
At present, Irish beef from Europe is available at a number of high-end restaurants and hotels in Metro Manila. Irish beef from Europe is also becoming more and more prevalent in supermarkets, with new listings in stores in Metro Manila coming very soon.
