Top chef Marco Pierre White is a fan of Redefine Meat’s exceptional meat substitutes

Marco Pierre White may not be familiar to everyone, but he was one of England’s first ‘rock star chefs’. In 1995, at the age of 33, he became the first British chef to cook his way to three Michelin stars. He is an example to many chefs of worldwide fame, and none other than stars such as Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal have worked for him in his kitchen. And none other than MPW (which I permit myself to write, since I have now met him) has given his stamp of approval to Redefine Meat’s ‘meat’.

Did you catch any of the controversy surrounding the plant-based steak that recently appeared on the menu at steakhouse Loetje? People got very upset about it—at least, the opponents of the meat-free steak concept did. You might wonder what all the fuss is about, but a great many people actually took to their digital pens to rail against it.

Redefine Meat

On the other side of the spectrum were plenty of people who thought it was a great idea and were happy that it had finally proved possible to replicate a steak that came very close to the original. And that exact product, along with several other varieties, comes from the brand Redefine Meat, of which MPW is now an ambassador.

Haute cuisine

He came to the Netherlands for a lunch featuring various ‘meat’ products from Redefine Meat. The company developed the technology and production of the aforementioned plant-based steak, as well as a type of minced meat, lamb ‘meat’ and a burger. We tasted various preparations from the top kitchen at Ron Gastrobar.

Fantastic taco

The ‘steak’ is truly impressively made, with a meaty texture and the color of real steak. The other highlight for me was the tacos: deliciously crisp-fried shells with a spicy taco filling that was perfectly balanced alongside the umami and saucy richness by fresh and spicy jalapeños and herbs.

Times gone by

The opportunity to ask MPW questions was unforgettable in itself. When I pointed out that, in these times, we cannot avoid considering how to make our food system more sustainable, and asked him whether there had been any limitations regarding ingredients during his heyday, he said, almost wistfully: never! Everything was possible in his kitchens, and nothing was too crazy: the world seemed inexhaustible, with all its wealth of ingredients lying at his feet.

Hospitality gets the premiere

But with the times we live in and the current crises, many things will have to change, including the way we cook and eat out. It is therefore telling that a chef with his signature style and status is aligning himself with a meat substitute. At the moment, Redefine Meat is not yet available for consumers to buy in shops: the company first plans to make a name for itself as a high-quality meat substitute in the hospitality industry. There, chefs can prepare the product in such a way that it reaches its full potential. And that certainly succeeded at Ron Gastrobar.

Image: Rob Lipsius

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