King says diners also understand the benefits of grass fed beef over grain fed alternatives. “Our Premier Selection, grass-fed Reserve beef is definitely tastier, leaner and healthier — with a consistent quality you can trust every time,” she says.

Evandro Caregnato, culinary director, Texas de Brazil — corporate, says that he is also seeing “a very large interest in grass-fed meat and more natural product from the general public and from our guests, and we are pleased to say that some of our meats are from animals that were pasture-ranged, grass-fed and with no use of hormones and antibiotics”.

Local sourcing: Paul Farhat believes that despite the challenging climate, “preference for sourcing local produce has substantially contributed to the growth and development of poultry farms in the region”.

“With a big potential for additional growth, our business is running at full capacity to fulfil the demand for poultry that is fed 100% natural, GMO-free and farmed in accordance with the highest standards in the business. Sourcing locally provides consumers with a unique and transparent access to the production source, which in turn reflects a sense of security and confidence of what’s being served on their plate. After all, we are what we eat,” asserts Farhat.

Vida Hotels and Resorts culinary director, chef Spencer Black, who oversees Nezesaussi Grill, agrees: “Incorporating organic products has been a growing trend over the last few years and we try to source ‘home-grown’ meat, sourced locally when possible, supporting the local butchers and farmers”.

Secondary cuts: Daniel Ferreira at J&G Steakhouse says there is a big focus on using secondary cuts now, and reveals he’s a fan of the hanger, skirt and the belly.

“Chefs are looking at new ways of creating great dishes with cuts not often seen in restaurants. In this day and age, with all the new kitchen equipment, this is allowing us to break down tougher proteins without changing the texture of the product and allowing us to enhance the flavour profiles,” says Ferreira.

However, Foodfund’s Christopher Graham says he finds this trend is yet to catch on in the UAE. “With rising meat prices globally, this is a great way to maintain costs and also allow chefs to be more creative and showcase different skills. I would like to see the UAE market drift away from the demand for just tenderloins and striploins and start looking at more flavoursome cuts like the flat iron and hanger cuts.” It’s just a case of educating the market and making them appreciate flavour over texture,” he recommends.

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