Chefs Battle for Best Beefshi

Washington, DC, June 18, 2020— Today, on International Sushi Day, the North American Meat Institute (NAMI), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, and the New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute (NOCHI) are joining forces to celebrate America’s love of beef and sushi with the final showdown of the 2020 Beefshi Battle.

The 2020 Beefshi Battle is a campaign and online contest created to promote and popularize Beefshi, an innovative concept that takes its inspiration from sushi and features prepared beef products like bologna, summer sausage, corned beef, pastrami, roast beef and beef jerky as central ingredients in sushi. Creativity is essential for any great chef, and this contest has encouraged professional cooks and chefs to tap into their own flair as they develop new Beefshi rolls to share with the food industry and the public. Many have entered, but tonight, we are down to two finalists.

NAMI and NOCHI will feature the two chef finalists during the culmination of the Beefshi Battle on Thursday, June 18^th from 5:00 to 6:00 PM CDT during NOCHI Together, an interactive livestreamed cooking class. (The class and competition finals can be viewed at www.nochi.org/shop/nt-618 . Use the code “BEEFSHI” at checkout for free registration.) Both finalists and their Beefshi concepts will be introduced at the start of the class. Voting will continue through the end of the class, when the winner will be announced live. The final round of voting will be hosted on NOCHI’s Facebook page . The $1,000-prize winner will be chosen based on poll votes.

“At NOCHI, we’re proud to promote innovation and our wide and continually growing community of chefs. We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate International Sushi Day than by spotlighting these chefs’ creative concepts,” said Leah Sarris, executive director of NOCHI. “We have been so inspired by all of the delicious Beefshi rolls that have been created for the 2020 Beefshi Battle. It’s going to be a difficult choice tonight.”

“Beefshi embodies America’s love for beef and sushi,” said Eric Mittenthal, vice president of sustainability, NAMI. “Contrary to popular belief, sushi does not mean raw seafood. The term refers to the vinegared rice that can be paired with many ingredients including fish, vegetables or meat. We have loved seeing the innovations by the chefs who have entered the 2020 Beefshi Battle.”

Working with a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef, NAMI has developed 16 Beefshi recipes to introduce the concept and inspire both consumers and foodservice operators to develop their own Beefshi creations. The concept is brought to life – complete with recipes, how-to videos and nutrition facts – at www.Beefshi.com

Visit https://www.nochi.org/beefshibattle to find more information about the 2020 Beefshi Battle.

About The Beef Checkoff:

The Beef Checkoff Program (www.beefboard.org) was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. In states with qualified beef councils, states may retain up to 50 cents of the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.

About NAMI:

The North American Meat Institute (NAMI), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, is the leading voice for the meat and poultry industry. Formed from the 2015 merger of the American Meat Institute (AMI) and North American Meat Association (NAMA), the Institute has a rich, century-long history and provides essential member services including legislative, regulatory, scientific, international and public affairs representation. NAMI’s mission is to shape a public policy environment in which the meat and poultry industry can produce wholesome products safely, efficiently and profitably. Together, the Institute’s members produce the vast majority of U.S. beef, pork, lamb and poultry and the equipment, ingredients and services needed for the highest quality products.

About NOCHI:

New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that educates a diverse community of learners to sustain an ever-evolving hospitality industry. It offers a platform for professional and personal growth, increasing access and minimizing barriers to career pathways while supporting the promotion and economic development of the culinary arts and hospitality industry.

"Internal links within this document are funded and maintained by the Beef Checkoff. All other outgoing links are to websites maintained by third parties."