A lover of mold and its biological properties, he’s educated as a chef but prefers to spend his days foraging for edible vegetation and exploring all things food.
In the calm between what was once a job at Cleveland’s Trentina restaurant and opening his own deli, the “gastronaut” stopped by the ECC in Wooster to talk science.
“We all nerded out,” our own Dr. Phil says. “We shared our focuses and what we know and understand in our respective disciplines. It was just a really interesting day of brainstorming.”
Jeremy does a lot of that, and it’s always with the consumer in mind.
“For years, home cooks and professional chefs alike have used specific cuts of beef that limit the uses and dining enjoyment of the product,” he told me. “By applying biological and anatomical sciences to these cuts, we can widen beef’s appeal and create new market and consumption opportunities.”
Did you have to read that twice? I know I did!
There’s no doubt the healthy bacteria Jeremy loves affect flavor and affordability, but there’s more.
“His big focus is in edible molds and fungus of all kinds,” Dr. Phil says, “but he’s fascinated with old-world preservation techniques and gastronomy.”
In layman’s terms, that means that by observing practices used by those who came before, Jeremy says there’s a chance beef can be made available in places where it’s difficult to keep today.
Add on the fact that the chef-turned-scientist said he wants to work with the brand to strengthen beef’s overall appeal, and we’re setting off all sorts of celebratory scientific explosions!
“There’s more to eating beef than simply eating a great steak,” Dr. Phil adds. “There are cuts that may really benefit from looking at these ideas. To align ourselves with people like him is a win for us.”
Bryan Schaaf, our media and communications manager, says Jeremy is and will continue to be a voice for the culinary community – someone who will push the edge and carry conversations.
“Chefs seek him out simply to pick his brain,” Bryan says. “We throw out the word ‘influencer’ a lot and Jeremy truly is. For him to have a solid understanding of the brand and the cattlemen behind it, I don’t know that you can put a price on that.”
If you need me, I’ll be skimming through my old biology textbooks.
Laura
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