Japan enlists star SF, LA chefs in growing war over the word 'wagyu'

"For many years, wagyu was at the top of the branding pyramid. On menus, the word was synonymous with a singular, ultra-high-quality type of imported beef from Japan. The meat was famously so marbled with fat that it could appear almost pale, and the specialized cows were so well-treated that the final, shockingly expensive cost seemed justified. But in recent years, with the rise of cross-bred wagyu cattle in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand,"

"restaurants across the United States have co-opted the original Japanese intention of the term, slapping the label on lower-cost items like meatballs while giving consumers little, if any, information as to what wagyu actually means in this new context. So, what happened to wagyu? What does it stand for anymore, in today's menu-flooded wagyu world? Where does the beef come from for all of these restaurants? And, especially in the case of wagyu burgers and sliders that litter California menus, how can it be so cheap?"

Wagyu once signified imported Japanese beef renowned for extreme marbling, pale appearance from fat, meticulous cattle care, and exceptionally high prices. The rise of cross-bred wagyu in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand expanded supply but diluted the label, leading many restaurants to market lower-cost dishes — including meatballs, burgers and sliders — as wagyu while often omitting origin or grade information. Consumer confusion about provenance and quality has increased. Japan's government and export-promotion councils have launched a campaign to protect the heritage and authenticity of Japanese A5 wagyu, with chefs like Tyler Florence and José Andrés participating; Florence is offering an 18-ounce Japanese A5 wagyu kebab priced at $320 at Miller & Lux.

Read at SFGATE