Chef Marco Pierre White to Introduce 3D-Printed Steaks at His UK Restaurants

Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White just announced that he will serve 3D printed whole cut steak, made completely free of animal-based products, at his UK restaurants. The innovative alternative protein comes from Israeli food tech company Redefine Meat, using a proprietary artificial intelligence that reproduces the complex structures of animal muscles with plant-based ingredients. White – who mentored several famous chefs including Gordon Ramsay – revealed that he believes the new plant-based steak successfully replicates the look, flavor, and texture of beef.

“The world needs to eat less meat,” White told the Telegraph. “But, the reality is that until now plant-based meat products have fallen way short in terms of the quality and versatility required for our menus.”

Launching in 2018, Redefine intended to create plant-based meat products that mirrored the layers structure of animal-based meat products, creating complicated muscle-like structures. The company just announced that it plans to release its new plant-based lamb and steak whole cuts following years of development. The whole beef and lamb flanks experienced widespread enthusiasm from fine dining chefs alongside White, including Ron Blaauw, Joachim Gerner, and Shahaf Shabtay.

“Honestly, I was so surprised by the texture and structure of the meat,” Blaauw said. “The first time I tried it, I remember closing my eyes and appreciating the chewiness and mouthfeel like I would a great cut of meat. Even now, my head is still spinning with the possibilities this meat creates for our menu.”

White plans to begin offering the plant-based, 3D printed steaks at his 20 steakhouse restaurants across the United Kingdom starting this month. Currently, reports claim that the vegan steaks will be priced between £20 and £30, to make the plant-based alternative as affordable as its animal-based counterparts.

“When I first tasted Redefine Meat, I was mind-blown,” said White. “Redefine Meat’s New-Meat products are pure genius, giving you all the sustainability and health benefits of plant-based, without the compromise on taste and texture.”

Currently, Redefine offers a wide selection of alternative protein products, featuring vegan hamburgers, lamb kebabs, sausages, ground beef, and more. The company’s products can be purchased in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, and Germany, but the company announced that it intends to expand its distribution range in the coming years, launching across European and Asian markets. Redefine is also slated to make its US debut in the coming months.

Redefine believes that its plant-based meat can sway consumers worldwide to adopt plant-based eating. Following years of research and development, the food-tech company announced that it perfected the complex molecular build of meat and successfully applied this process for plant-based ingredients. The final product is a sustainable alternative to meat that is almost exact to animal-based meat. The fine-dining approval situated Redefine as a leading competitor for the sustainable protein market, providing a product that consumers believe matches traditional steaks, hamburgers, and more.

“Over the past few weeks at COP26, we’ve seen world leaders commit to landmark goals such as the elimination of all deforestation by 2030, which requires a significant reduction in global meat consumption,” CEO and Co-Founder of Redefine Meat Eshchar Ben-Shitrit said. “Redefine Meat has its eyes set on the real problem – not meat, but the way it’s produced. We have a genuine solution that today, not in 2030, preserves all the culinary aspects of meat we know and love, but eliminates cattle as a means of production.”

Michelin-star chefs and restaurants significantly shifted towards plant-based options over the last year. The highly acclaimed culinary board awarded 81 of its coveted stars to vegan and vegetarian restaurants worldwide, far surpassing any previous year for plant-based cuisine. Sustainable alternatives are becoming more popular with diners, and the fine dining scene is responding. More companies like redefine continue to roll out plant-based and sustainable alternatives to conventional meat and dairy product, making it easier for the acclaimed chef to adapt their menus to promote sustainability and plant-based eating.

“We’ve achieved a level of superiority in taste and texture that surprised even some of the most recognized chefs in the world, and our unique technological capabilities enable us to replace every part of the cow for the first time,” Ben-Shitrit said.