Making Meatballs and Stacking Burgers... USMEF, "Gifts a Delicious Day to Closer to Dad"

They knead the meat, skewer the vegetables, and neatly stack the burger ingredients between small buns. The menu for the day, completed by a father and child together, consisted of meatball skewers and mini burgers. A cooking class was held where the process of making a meal became a family memory.

The U.S. Meat Export Association (USMEF, Country Manager for Korea Park Jun-il) held the ‘U.S. Meat Daddy’s Cooking Camp’ on the 25th at ‘Texas BBQ Camping’ in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, in collaboration with the father parenting community ‘Weekend Daddy’s Club.’ Approximately 60 fathers and their children aged 4 to 7 participated, cooking with U.S. beef and pork and enjoying barbecue and play activities.

Enthusiasm for participation was high from the recruitment stage. According to the association, more than six times the number of available spots flooded in within just one day of applications opening. This indicates just how high the interest was among fathers looking to spend the weekend cooking with their children.

From meatballs to mini burgers, a meal completed with Dad

The cooking class on this day was led by culinary researcher Ryu Tae-im, a specialist in kids' cooking. The menu consisted of meatball skewers and mini burgers, which children could also help with. From mixing the meat to making the skewers and stacking the burger ingredients, fathers and children participated together to complete a meal.

Researcher Ryu introduced the taste and nutritional characteristics of American meat according to the cooking process and shared ways to utilize the meat so that even dads can easily prepare family meals at home.

Barbecue was also served at the table where the homemade dishes were enjoyed. Slow-smoked Prime grade Tomahawk and sirloin, the highest quality grade according to the USDA, along with U.S. pork neck and pork belly, were provided. The participating families spent time together dining, pairing the barbecue with their homemade meals.

After cooking together, play together

The family program continued even after the cooking was finished. Activities included a ‘plate flipping’ game where participants flipped plates as if grilling meat, an OX quiz on American meat, and badge and keycap making. A prize giveaway featuring Outback Steakhouse meal vouchers and Black Angus beef sets was also organized.

Participating families were gifted with U.S. pork bulgogi meal kits and cutting boards. The package was designed to allow the experience at the event to continue into time spent cooking together at home.

Kim Jun-seong, CEO of Weekend Daddy's Club, said, “This was the first event targeting children aged 4 to 7, and it received an enthusiastic response beyond expectations. It seems that the desire of fathers to give their children good food and joyful memories came together, making it a meaningful time to get closer to their children through American meat.”

This camp is a consumer experience event designed to connect U.S. meat with the family's everyday dining table. It incorporates play into the process of cooking and eating together, and collaborated with a father-parenting community to expand engagement with families with young children.

Park Jun-il, Country Manager of the U.S. Meat Export Association of Korea, stated, “This event was prepared to allow fathers and children to cook and eat together while experiencing the taste and various uses of U.S. beef and pork,” adding, “We will continue to provide diverse experiential opportunities and useful information so that consumers can become familiar with U.S. meat in their daily lives.”