BEHIND THE SCENES WITH A BEEF + LAMB AMBASSADOR CHEF
If you’re wondering exactly what the role of a Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef entails, we recently caught up with Cameron Davies who is the owner/operator of The Fat Duck in Te Anau. Cameron was on a Beef + Lamb New Zealand assignment in Christchurch working with the kitchen team at Te Pae developing a menu for the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards.
We asked Cameron how he felt about cooking for red meat producers on such a large scale and were impressed with his sense of pride and how he took on the challenge. Cameron also reflects on his time as a Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef and what it has meant to him.
Q&A WITH CAMERON DAVIES
How does it feel to be cooking for the red meat industry on a large scale?
“It’s a real privilege and an honour. It's a huge opportunity to be able to put something amazing in front of them. It comes with a fair amount of pressure to get it right, but I certainly love the challenge and found it to be an awesome experience. As a chef I feel a massive sense of pride showcasing New Zealand beef and lamb, especially in my role as a Beef + Lamb Ambassador.”
How does it feel to be cooking for a large audience as opposed to being at the Fat Duck cooking for your locals?
“There's always a little bit of pressure as you've got a different sort of environment to get used to. Back home at The Fat Duck we're normally getting ready for 20 covers of lamb rather than 280! So things are a little bit different, but I just loved the challenge and the opportunity to be able to go out there and showcase a wonderful lamb dish to the New Zealand farming community – it was just fantastic!”
What dish did you create?
“I was briefed to create a main course and immediately thought of using lamb. I decided on a duo of Lumina Lamb to showcase a prime and secondary cut. Because I was feeding the red meat industry, I thought it would be cool to recreate the humble Shepherd’s Pie but with a modern twist. I used braised Lumina Lamb Supreme Shoulder with a crispy potato top for that element of my dish. For the prime cut I used a Lumina Lamb Loin and because the Spring vegetables are so good at the moment, I created a colourful terrine to go with the lamb. The dish was finished with pom puree and some Pecorino and herb oil.”
How was it working in collaboration with the chef at Te Pae?
“One of the best things about being an Ambassador Chef is being offered opportunities to collaborate with other chefs. Working with Desmond and his team at Te Pae has been amazing. They have a great set up in their kitchens and we all worked well together. I took charge of the main course and Desmond built the rest of the menu in and around that. On the night everything went really well – it was a great team to work with.“
Have you enjoyed your time as a Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef?
”I've loved my time working with Beef and Lamb New Zealand. It's been a huge honour and a real privilege. There's a long list of famous chefs that have had the honour to represent Beef + Lamb New Zealand, and I feel really privileged to be part of that family now. The overall experience has been awesome and not just for personal development but also for collaboration, connection and growing my network. Beef + Lamb have some great people working for them doing some amazing work and it’s great to see them investing in the industry and the people within it.”
What have been some of the highlights?
”There's been so many! I’ve been lucky enough to cook for the red meat industry on two occasions at Te Pae in Christchurch – firstly at The Red Meat Sector Gala Dinner last year and more recently at the Beef + Lamb Farmer Awards. So they've been two awesome events that I've been proud to be part of.
We've also done some really interesting trips away as a group, connecting with farmers that are really progressive in the way they're doing things. I've learned so much and having the opportunity to be able to connect with those farmers has really enhanced my ability to tell their story to an international and national set of people.”
Would you encourage other chefs to apply to be a Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef?
”Yes! My time as a Beef + Lamb Ambassador is something I will look back on fondly and hold pretty close, and I would definitely encourage any chef who wants to elevate their career to put in an application.”