AMSTERDAM – Statistically, veal production and consumption often is lumped under the heading of ‘Beef’, but The Dutch Meat Industry Association (Centrale Organisatie voor de Vleessector, or COV) is hard at work ensuring veal is the standout item in the center of the plate.

The Dutch are the largest producers of veal in the European Union. More than 1.5 million calves annually are farmed at more than 2,000 veal farms and then processed in the Netherlands. The COV is working to promote the European veal sector and raise awareness of the country’s reputation for high-quality milk-fed veal products. The target audience is the US, Canada and Japan where demand for beef — and consumption in general — remains strong.

MEAT+POULTRY along with journalists from various North American publications traveled to The Netherlands in November to learn more about Dutch veal production and to see first-hand the possibilities for menu innovations in the foodservice sector.

In this video, we join Chef Edgar Buhrs and his brother Michel at the Kookstudio 54 demonstration kitchen in Amsterdam located just off the city’s center. Michel exhibits his knife skills, while Edgar applies his contemporary European spin on traditional preparations of veal cuts.