Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
We’ve reported more than once that when you see Wagyu or Kobe beef on a menu, it’s not real. It’s a fugazi. You’re eating nice meat, but it’s not Wagyu or Kobe but this is going to confuse things. The real meat will be imported soon, but it’s going to cost. So far, only two restaurant in San Francisco will get the meat. “The overall production is small due to the restricted number of farmers and slaughterhouses designated to handle the cows. Only around 3,000 cows are sent to market each year, which translates to about 700-800 tons.” (WSJ – Kobe beef)
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Yes, you’ve had the fake. Admit it. Kobe Beef is only from Hyogo Prefecture where it’s trademarked and not exported (except Macau). Since the trademark isn’t applicable to the US according to the recent Forbes article, the beef you’ve been having here is not really Kobe beef. It’s as similar to the real Kobe beef as Kobe of the Lakers. (Forbes – Kobe Scam) Also see Larry Olmstead’s follow up on Wagyu Beef.
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This looks and reads amazing. Kobe Beef isn’t what you think it is since of late, there is Kobe beef on menus in the US. Is the beef imported from Hyogo Prefecture? I doubt it. Is it one of the 3000 heads of cattle that qualifies as Kobe Beef, no. Is it a burger? Yes, I’ve seen Kobe Beef burgers. No. According to Japan Today, Kobe Beef has limits. Here’s their quote: “To obtain Kobe certification, the cows must be born, raised and slaughtered in Hyogo Prefecture, and the meat is never exported. Only around 3,000 heads qualify as Kobe grade annually, with each animal yielding about 400 kilos of beef.” So what are we seeing on menus that say Kobe Beef? Although it’s not the great news source, Wikipedia does have a part of the entry labelled “Kobe Style Beef” and although that’s something we don’t see on menus as often as “Kobe Beef” now we know that “Kona Style Coffee” isn’t Kona Coffee. (Japan Today – Kobe Beef)
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