Lambassador delegation cooking up a storm in Melbourne

The jam-packed week of foodie events has been put together by Meat & Livestock Australia in collaboration with the Victorian government.

The Lambassador program began in Japan in 2015 and has grown to a community of over 50 food professionals worldwide.

Last year saw the first global Lambassador delegation hosted in Melbourne.

The cohort of 19 chefs and influencers from across Japan, Korea, China, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines will take part in farm visits, butchery demonstrations, cooking masterclasses and more.

Throughout their visit, the chefs and influencers have been sharing content with their followers across the globe with highlights including visiting Fowles Wine sheep station, shopping for ingredients for chef competitions and attending butchery masterclasses.

Global Business Manager at MLA Josh Anderson said that as the world's largest exporter of lamb, Australia is renowned for a producing high-quality and sustainable product.

"Australian lamb is enjoyed in over 100 countries," he said.

"Through the Lambassador program, international chefs and food professionals are empowered to learn and share the Australian Lamb story to their global network, driving international demand for this premium product.

"Victoria is the largest sheep meat exporter in Australia.

"The program will help to grow global exports by boosting the profile and understanding of lamb in key overseas markets."

Throughout the week, the Lambassadors will also have the opportunity to share ideas on innovative lamb uses, network with stakeholders within the lamb supply chain and create lamb dishes inspired by regional flavours.

Chef Seung Jae Lee from Toronto, Canada who attended 2022's Lambassador Delegation said that the experience enriched his understanding of Australian lamb.

"Lamb is an incredibly versatile, high quality and tasty red meat that we're incorporating more and more into our menus," Mr Lee said.

"The Lambassador program helps us to better understand how lamb in Australia is raised, looked after, processed and cooked - this benefits the delegation's ultimate goal, creating amazing meals for our customers across many cultures."

The Melbourne events come just days after Australian lamb was showcased to Japanese consumers at the one-day Lambassador Festival in Tokyo.

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