The National Pork Board has engaged three industry-leading chefs to demonstrate how pork can work for both commercial kitchens and consumers. The chefs will highlight the Taste of Now campaign that will run from October, which is National Pork Month, through December. The campaign will feature pork cuts that deliver great flavor and value.

“The bone-in pork loin brings big flavor to the table and is an affordable, appetizing way to hook consumers,” said National Pork Board vice president Steve Rommereim, a farmer from Alcester, S.D. “Its boneless counterpart offers delicious, quick-cooking versatility. The pork shoulder lends itself to multiple flavor applications and cooking styles, while ham really does it all. From crave-worthy sandwiches to center-of-plate entrées, its smoky flavor makes it a must-have.”

The three chefs are:

The chefs will create the pork dishes, demonstrate the techniques used and show how pork inspires their creativity in the kitchen – both in their restaurants and at home. The chefs will be photographed and videotaped for the pork checkoff’s UNCUT series, which was developed for foodservice professionals in 2014. The chefs received extensive training that included Pork 101, media training and a sow farm and packer/processor tour.

The Taste of Now campaign targets foodservice professionals, retailers and general market and Hispanic consumers to create a coordinated effort that reaches all audiences. The campaign is designed to communicate the opportunity pork presents for incredible flavor, profitability/value and versatility.

Promotional events

UNCUT showcases how today’s hottest chefs are reinventing menus with pork. "Make It Like This: Chef Edition" targets a consumer audience and showcases how the chefs like to cook and eat pork at home.

The chefs have provided two recipe types for consumers: advanced and quick-and-easy. The foodservice videos will live on PorkFoodservice.org; the consumer videos will be hosted on PorkBeinspired.com and PorkTeinspira.com and will be shared on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Additionally, these chef advocates will be featured at two public relations events this fall and will participate in public relations outreach, including two media tours: Abdoo with general market media this month in New York, and Mendín with Hispanic media this November in Miami.

The James Beard Foundation and the pork checkoff have teamed up again to host Pork-A-Palooza on Oct. 10 at the historic Beard House in New York. The dinner will celebrate all things pork, with a five-course meal prepared by Abdoo, Sappington and Mendín, in addition to the pork checkoff’s Stephen Gerike and pastry chef Jackie Sappington, co-owner of the Country Cat. Invitees include industry media, consumer influencers and multicultural media.

Also this year, the eighth Pork Crawl will be held Nov. 7-9 in New York. It will be hosted by Abdoo, with Mendín and Sappington on hand as support. The Pork Crawl is an exclusive culinary event where guests get to see New York City through the eyes of a chef by exploring the city’s premier pork dishes from lower Manhattan to Brooklyn. Guests, including trade media, consumer and multicultural editors, will also receive an educational experience on the pork loin from end to end that features the pork loin nomenclature in each dish.