October 09, 2015 – Next week, restaurant brokers Eric and Robin Gagnon talk to experts from the cattle industry! The Restaurant Brokers are talking to Suzanne Bentley from the Georgia Beef Board and Kirk Halpern from Halpern’s Steak and Seafood on their weekly Restaurant Radio show. 
 
The cattle industry in America invented farm to table with ranchers, butchers and chefs combining to place this important protein on plates and on palates. The restaurant brokers interview those close to the industry to learn: 1) The newest cuts of beef and how they are being prepared 2) How the industry provides more than one million jobs in the U.S. creating a ripple effect in the economy and 3) Why Steakhouses remain a favorite of Americans that have had a love affair with beef since the wild west was settled. We're talking to ranchers, representatives of the beef board and chefs who say beef is healthy, on trend and delicious.
 
Listen as Suzanne Bentley tells the restaurant brokers that there are 500 cattlemen in the Georgia and surprisingly, it is the “third largest commodity in the state.”  This is not a big business with a few people controlling the market.  Kirk Halper from Halpern’s Steak and Seafood reveals that the “average owner of cattle owns 40 head of cattle” and his firm is developing local customer programs with these small producers since in his words, “People want to know where their food is coming from.”
 
Does beef get the short end of the stick when consumers think about healthy dining?  Yes, according to the Georgia Beef Board spokesperson who said ‘Beef is not the bad guy.”  In fact, beef delivers important nutrients like protein, zinc and iron and can both help someone manage their weight and boost their immunity.  Halpern agrees saying a new book on the horizon is about to dispel the myth that beef isn’t the healthiest choice and it is provocatively titled, “The Big Fat Surprise.”
 
In restaurant reality, the restaurant brokers point out that if your menu is heavy on beef and you’re seeing price increases, there is ”lots of help out there and you do need to call on some of the experts available to you.”   They point out that even if you are a one unit operation there is a need to “educate and train your staff” on the healthy aspects of your menu so they can share this information with customers. Listen to the entire restaurant radio show on GLN the Good Living Network next week, Monday at 2pm EST and Tuesday at 9PM EST.
 
This Week’s Guests:
 
Suzanne Bentley, The Georgia Beef Board
 
Suzanne Bentley is the Director of Industry Information for the Georgia Beef Board. Bentley promotes beef across the state of Georgia to spread the positive message of beef and let everyone know that Beef is a safe, healthy and wholesome protein. She represents Georgia’s farmers and ranchers on behalf of the beef checkoff program.

Kirk Halpern, Halpern’s Steak and Seafood
 
Kirk Halpern is a 25 year meat industry veteran. After graduating from Duke University School of Law and briefly practicing law, he joined his father’s family business Buckead Beef, rising to President/COO. In 2005 Kirk started Halpern’s Steak and Seafood where he, his father Howard Halpern, their partners and other team members have built the leading meat purveying company with sales last year of $340 million dollars.  Kirk Halpern was elected to the Board of The Industry Association and serves locally on the Board of Directors of Goodwill of North Georgia.  He has a passion for growing farmer driven programs and developing specialty lines and meat cuts. 
 
About We Sell Restaurants
 
We Sell Restaurants is the nation’s largest restaurant brokerage firm specializing in restaurants wanted (restaurants for sale), leasing a restaurant and franchise restaurant resales.  The We Sell Restaurants brand is known nationwide for professionalism, industry knowledge, and unmatched service. They can be found online at www.wesellrestaurants.com.  The firm is franchising their brand nationwide and has offices in Florida, Georgia, Colorado, Tennessee and South Carolina. 
 
The We Sell Restaurants radio show will be on the air on GLN the Good Living Network next week, Monday at 2pm EST and Tuesday at 9PM EST. It is available for download on iTunes as well.