A survey from food-tech company SuperMeat found that 86% of American chefs are interested in serving cultivated meat. Concerns for the environment and food safety were cited as top reasons for the interest.
The survey also found that 84% of chefs would consider replacing traditional meat with cultivated meat or poultry if the pricing were similar. Additionally, 77% of chefs surveyed said they would be willing to pay a premium for cultivated meats.
Cultivated meat is grown directly from animal cells, which eliminates the resources needed to raise and farm animals for food production. Food safety was found to be chefs’ top motivator for interest in serving cultivated meat, with 51% of chefs indicating food safety as a prominent reason. The motivators varied depending on the type of establishment, with fine-dining chefs citing environmental reasons as a top motivator while fast-food establishments were more concerned with food safety.
In terms of types of meat, the survey found that chefs are most interested in serving cultivated poultry, with 51% indicating they would be interested in trying it. In comparison, the choices of beef, exotic meats, seafood and pork were split between 35% and 38%.
The survey found significant differences in meat preferences depending on region and type of restaurant. Chefs from the South cited beef and exotic meats as the top choice. Pork was the top choice for fine-dining chefs while poultry was the top for those working in fast food.
The survey also indicated that diners are increasingly interested in alternative meat menu options; 87% of restaurants in the Midwest and 82% of fast-food restaurants noted the rise in consumer interest for meat alternatives. The survey found 60% of chefs use plant-based ingredients to create their own alternative options and 45% use existing plant-based meat alternatives.
Most chefs indicated they would be early adopters of cultivated meat once it becomes available. Fifty-two percent said they would be willing to add cultivated meat and poultry to their menus one to two months after it becomes available. 79% of chefs said they believed cultivated meat will become fully integrated into mainstream hospitality culture and restaurants in less than a year.
"It is great to see the interest and positivity from the professional culinary community for cultivated meat. This demonstrates that chefs are more than intrigued by cultivated meat, understand the benefits, and are ready to see it served in mainstream dining," said Ido Savir, CEO of SuperMeat, in a statement.
Thesurvey polled 251 chefs or foodservice professionals in the U.S. and was conducted by independent market research consultancy, Censuswide.
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