Top tips for trialing a nose-to-tail menu

There is a long list of benefits that come with nose to tail eating – reduction in waste, keeping menus interesting and saving that bottom line just to name a few. We sat down with Seasoned Chef Graham Krueger, Group Executive Chef at Wests Leagues Club to get his top tips on trialling a nose-to-tail menu.

1. Know your clients: You’re the expert on what moves on your menu. Think about sticking to cheaper cuts that look familiar if your clientele is younger or more conservative.

2. Befriend your butcher: They’ve got the insider knowledge on the cheapest cuts and what to do with them. Use them as a starting point, then do your own research.

3. Remember there’s more to a beast than just offal: Entice queasy diners with beef brisket, skirt and shin; lamb shoulder, chump and breast; and pork cheek or neck. All require careful slow cooking but pay off with tender, flavoursome final products.

4. Keep an open mind for unusual cuts: The trick to moving heart, tongue and trotters is to disguise them in familiar packages. Think pig (trotters) in a blanket and fresh ravioli stuffed with lamb (tongue).

5. Experiment: If you’ve hacked at a cut of meat and it’s no longer suitable for service as is, think about another use that doesn’t require it to look pristine – grind it to turn it into sausages, braise it so the meat’s falling apart in a stew or throw the bones in a pot to make a rich stock.