The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
From farm to fork with chefs on tour
A group of 13 chefs from around Fife were given a tour of Balneil Farm at Leven to find out how quality Scottish beef is produced.
Host farmer John Bell highlighted the dedication, care and stockmanship skills behind the production of Scotch beef as well as the importance of quality assurance and the Protected Geographic Indication (PGI) status.
Mr Bell told the chefs that to carry the Scotch beef PGI logo, the animal must have been reared in Scotland for the whole of its life.
“It was a pleasure to have the chefs visit Balneil Farm,” he said. “I hope our tour has given them some insight into the production of Scotch beef and will give them further insight into the rewards and challenges of the farming industry.
“I’m sure that with their new understanding of the industry, they will take even more pride in preparing and serving Scotch Beef to their customers.”
The chefs also travelled to Fife College, where they enjoyed Scotch beef burgers before taking part in a butchery demonstration.
Master butcher Viv Harvey demonstrated the art of breaking down a rump and said getting onto a farm and learning about the natural production and processing of beef was something every chef should experience.
As part of the experience, the chefs enjoyed a three-course Scotch beef dinner at the Old Course Hotel, a member of Quality Meat Scotland’s Scotch Butchers Club, where they met executive chef Martin Hollis.
The group of chefs enjoyed a starter of Carne Asada, Pico de Gallo, tomato onion and coriander salsa. This was followed by petite marmite en croute and a main course which consisted of Scotch beef fillet served with wild mushrooms, braised beef croquette, truffled celeriac and a red wine jus.
Ciara Etherson, PR and marketing executive at QMS, said: “The chef’s learning journey has been a fantastic opportunity for chefs in the Fife area to get out of the kitchen and on to the farm, giving them a stronger understanding of the care and attention involved in Scotch beef production from farm to fork.”