Beef dish event gives crowd menu addition

By LAUREL WILSON The Daily News lwilson@bgdailynews.com

BGTC chefs prepare beef dishes Culinary Arts instructor at Bowling Green Technical College, Executive Chef Michael Riggs, prepares beef bourguignon using Kentucky beef cattle during an event held Thursday night at the college, Nov. 8, 2012 in Bowling Green, Ky. Sponsored by Kentucky Beef Council and Kentucky Living magazine, the event was held to help educate the public on ways to use of beef. (Photo by Nathan Morgan/Daily News)

Bowling Green Technical College Culinary instructors Thursday demonstrated how to prepare two beef dishes to a crowd at the campus dining room.

The event was a partnership between the Kentucky Beef Council and Kentucky Living magazine as a way to educate people about how to prepare beef, said Alison Smith, director of marketing for the Kentucky Beef Council.

Richard Mutter, of Glasgow, Ky., watches as Bowling Green Technical College Culinary Arts instructor Lisa Hunt prepares smoky adobo meatballs using Kentucky beef cattle during an event held Thursday night at the college, Nov. 8, 2012 in Bowling Green, Ky. Sponsored by Kentucky Beef Council and Kentucky Living magazine, the event was held to help educate the public on ways to use of beef. (Photo by Nathan Morgan/Daily News

“There’s a lot of mystery in cooking beef,” she said. “It’s not the most expensive meat, but it is an investment, so we want people to end up with a good experience.”

Professor Lisa Hunt, a BGTC culinary arts instructor, demonstrated how to make smoky chipotle meatballs with adobo sauce, while executive chef Michael Riggs showed guests how to make beef bourguignon, a French stew. The audience sampled both dishes, which were made using Kentucky beef.

Demonstrations like this expose people to nontraditional dishes they might never have had, Riggs said.

“It gives people an opportunity to watch how to make simple recipes that taste really good,” he said.

Those in the audience weren’t the only ones learning Thursday – BGTC’s culinary arts students also gained educational experience.

“We’re demonstrating the cooking process, but the students are making the samples the public will eat,” Riggs said.

Students from three different classes either made the dishes or served them to audience members.

“We’re always excited to get to show off our students,” Riggs said.

Miranda Wallace, 17, of Hopkinsville, came to the event with her family to get a better feel for cooking, she said. She received

A plate of beef bourguignon rests on a table during Thursday night's event at Bowling Green Technical College, Nov. 8, 2012 in Bowling Green, Ky. Sponsored by Kentucky Beef Council and Kentucky Living magazine, the event was held to help educate the public on ways to use of beef. (Photo by Nathan Morgan/Daily News)

tickets to the event for her birthday because she’s interested in having a career in the culinary arts.

“I think it’s a good way to express myself,” Wallace said.

The beef dishes were delicious and she learned tips about preparing meat that she didn’t know before, she said.

“This was also very inspiring,” Wallace said.