国际主厨团队在西澳大利亚州参与从牧场到餐桌的探访活动，实地体验澳洲羔羊供应链。图片由主办方提供。

近日，23位国际主厨放下围裙、穿上工装，来到西澳大利亚州，实地探访澳洲羔羊产业背后的从业者、生产运营模式与养殖规范。

本次探访是澳大利亚肉类与畜牧业协会“羔羊形象大使”项目的一环，该项目旨在对接知名餐饮从业者，让他们深入了解澳洲羔羊的养殖、加工全流程。

在为期两天的行程里，羔羊形象大使们先后走访牲畜交易市场、牧场以及WAMMCO加工厂。WAMMCO是西澳由农户持股的合作社，负责高端羔羊的养殖、加工与销售。

10月15日，探访活动在卡坦宁收官，一行人参与WAMMCO年度股东大会。大使们和本地养殖户同台，现场开展烹饪挑战赛，由WAMMCO成员担任评委。

参赛菜品融合泰式、韩式、中式与西式风味，充分展现澳洲羔羊适配多元菜式的特点，凸显其在全球各地菜单上的广阔应用空间。

WAMMCO市场经理达米恩·朱梅利表示，本次活动体现了养殖户与影响消费者采购决策的群体直接对接的价值。

“能邀请到这群富有创意、行业资源丰富的从业者来到西澳，机会十分难得。”达米恩说道。

“我们在西澳为羔羊形象大使打造沉浸式体验，向他们讲解羔羊生产方式、产地溯源以及产品背后的故事，之后他们就能把这些信息传递给自己的顾客。”

牧场到餐桌的联结是本次股东大会反复提及的主题，会员们围绕市场行情、加工产能以及未来增长机遇展开讨论。

而国际主厨的到来，也让养殖户难得地了解到供应链终端消费者最关注的要点。

WAMMCO首席执行官科尔·麦克拉里表示，行业持续致力于将澳洲羔羊打造为高端产品。

“我们的市场需要健康蛋白：高品质、草饲、无抗生素的羔羊，这就是高端产品的标准。”科尔说。

这一理念也深深打动了来访主厨，其中不少人是第一次近距离观看澳洲羔羊的生产全过程。

泰国梅主厨就是其中一员，她和来自韩国、中国、美国的其他形象大使合作，打造了一道融合菜式：罗望子酱汁烤羊里脊，搭配泡菜及配菜。

梅主厨提到，澳洲羔羊不必局限于西式做法，本身就适配各类菜系。

“不是只能做成西式菜品。”她说。

“我们可以用优质进口澳洲羔羊来制作泰式菜肴。”

和烹饪展示同样有价值的，是了解产品的生产全过程。

“昨天亲眼所见的场景，和我想象的完全不一样，干净且专业。”梅主厨说。

参观加工厂、看到整条供应链细致的品控管理之后，她理解了澳洲羔羊缘何拥有优良的品质口碑。

西澳养殖户杰夫·比尔尼认为，这次交流是难得的机会，可以直接倾听全球使用自家产品的主厨的想法。

比尔尼的牧场自2014年起已向WAMMCO供应100万头羔羊，并在股东大会上获表彰，但他同样看重养殖户和主厨之间的交流。

“我觉得养殖户之前并不清楚主厨们在意什么。”杰夫说。

动物福利这类主厨重点关心的事项，其实本就是养殖户的常规操作。

主厨们分享消费者越来越多提出的各类疑问，也让养殖户获得新认知，明白日常生产如何助力澳洲在高端市场树立口碑。

“我觉得活动最后大家都倍感自豪，意识到他们所做的工作，在世界各地都备受认可。”杰夫说道。

当天下午，养殖户品尝羔羊形象大使制作的菜品，和WAMMCO代表探讨市场趋势，这份自豪感贯穿全程。

尽管全球市场持续面临挑战，这家合作社在北美、中国以及其他高端出口市场依旧具备良好发展机遇。

达米恩称，保持多元化市场准入是WAMMCO的核心优势之一，能够实现整只羔羊价值最大化。

对很多到场人员而言，当天最大的收获不在于商业订单，而是明白每一块羊肉背后，都承载着一段故事。

项目在卡坦宁把养殖户、加工企业和主厨汇聚一堂，不仅巩固供应链上下游的联系，也让澳洲羔羊养殖户和全球各地烹制这款食材的主厨走得更近。

消息来源：MLA

International chefs experienced the Australian lamb supply chain firsthand during a paddock-to-plate tour through Western Australia. Image supplied.

Twenty-three global chefs recently traded aprons for boots in Western Australia to gain a firsthand look at the people, operations and practices behind the Australian lamb industry.

The visit was part of Meat & Livestock Australia’s Lambassador program, which connects influential food professionals with the producers, processors and practices behind Australian lamb.

Over two days, the Lambassadors visited saleyards, farms and the processing facility of WAMMCO, a Western Australian farmer-owned co-operative that produces, processes and markets premium lamb.

Held in Katanning on 15 October, the visit culminated at WAMMCO’s annual general meeting where the Lambassadors joined local producers and put their culinary skills to work in a live cooking challenge judged by WAMMCO members.

The dishes drew on Thai, Korean, Chinese and Western influences to showcase the versatility of Australian lamb and its place on menus around the world.

WAMMCO Marketing Manager Damien Giumelli said the visit showcased the value of connecting producers directly with the people who influence consumer purchasing decisions.

"What a wonderful opportunity to have such creative and connected people here in Western Australia," Damien said.

"To be able to give the Lambassadors an experience in Western Australia, to educate them on how lamb is produced, the provenance, the story behind it, which then they can take back to their customers."

The connection between paddock and plate was a recurring theme throughout the AGM, with discussions among members focused on market conditions, processing capacity and future growth opportunities.

The presence of international chefs, however, offered producers a rare glimpse into what matters most at the consumer end of the supply chain.

WAMMCO Chief Executive Officer Coll MacRury said the industry remained focused on positioning Australian lamb as a premium product.

"Our markets want healthy protein; high-quality lamb, grass-fed, antibiotic-free, that's going to be the premium," Coll said.

That message resonated strongly with the visiting chefs, many of whom were seeing Australian lamb production up close for the first time.

Among them was Thailand's Chef May, who teamed up with fellow Lambassadors from Korea, China and the United States to create a fusion dish featuring grilled lamb loin with tamarind glaze, kimchi and complementary side dishes.

Rather than treating lamb as a traditionally Western ingredient, Chef May said Australian lamb lent itself naturally to a range of cuisines.

"It doesn't mean that we need to cook Western style only," she said.

"We can combine good quality imported Australian lamb with a Thai dish."

Just as impactful as the cooking was the opportunity to understand how the product is produced.

"The picture I saw yesterday is totally different from what I was imagining – it’s clean and professional," Chef May said.

After touring the processing facility and seeing the care taken throughout the supply chain, she said it was easy to understand why Australian lamb had earned its reputation for quality.

For Western Australian producer, Geoff Bilney, the exchange offered a rare opportunity to hear directly from chefs using their product around the world.

Bilney's business was recognised during the AGM for supplying one million lambs to WAMMCO since 2014, but he was equally interested in the conversations taking place between producers and chefs.

"I don't think the farmers understood what was important to the chefs," Geoff said.

"The animal welfare, all the stuff that’s important to those people, that’s just standard practice for farmers."

As chefs shared what consumers are increasingly asking about, producers gained fresh insight into how their everyday practices contribute to Australia's reputation in premium markets.

"I think they're all quite proud at the end of it, realising that what they're actually doing is greatly appreciated around the world," Geoff said.

That pride was evident throughout the afternoon as producers sampled dishes created by the Lambassadors and discussed market trends with WAMMCO representatives.

Despite ongoing global market challenges, the co-operative continued to see strong opportunities across North America, China and other premium export destinations.

According to Damien, maintaining diverse market access remained one of WAMMCO's greatest strengths and allowed the business to maximise value across the entire carcase.

For many in attendance, the day's biggest takeaway wasn't commercial. It was the reminder that every cut of lamb carries a story.

By bringing producers, processors and chefs together in Katanning, the program not only strengthened connections across the supply chain, but brought Australian lamb producers closer to those serving their product in kitchens around the globe.

Source：MLA