Craveable, Versatile and Profitable: Which Beef Cuts Are Best for Your Menu?

As the corporate meat scientist for the Certified Angus Beef® brand, Dr. Daniel Clark engages and educates partners about beef quality and meat science at The Culinary Center and meat labs across the country. He also focuses on beef innovation and supports marketing efforts to help drive sales of the very best Angus beef.

The Illinois native received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in animal science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He then journeyed to Wooster, Ohio, where he resides with his wife, Diana, and their daughter, Idamarie, to complete his post-doctoral research at The Ohio State University (OSU). Before joining the Certified Angus Beef® brand team, Daniel also worked at OSU as an assistant professor, where he taught meat science classes, researched livestock production and meat quality, and developed a food-safety certificate program.

Daniel’s interest in cattle began on his family’s farm, and through participation in 4-H, FFA and Angus cattle shows. It wasn’t until he started participating in collegiate meat judging competitions that his passion for meat science was sparked.

In her role as a meat scientist for the Certified Angus Beef ® brand, Diana Clark uses her expertise to develop high-impact training for retailers, distributors and chefs at The Culinary Center and their own locations.

Diana graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in animal science, specializing in meat science and muscle biology. A native of the Chicago area, Diana developed a passion for meat science as a University of Illinois undergraduate meat lab employee and meat judging team member. Before joining our team, Diana instructed meat science classes and coached the meat evaluation teams at the University of Illinois, and continues to teach at The Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute in Wooster, Ohio. Additional experience came from internships at Sara Lee, and most recently in quality and safety compliance at Ohio Farms Packing.

As director of packing for the Certified Angus Beef ® brand, Clint Walenciak works with meat companies to supply distributors, restaurants and grocery stores worldwide with beef meeting the brand’s 10 quality standards. During his 20+ years with the brand, Clint has assisted customers with supply and pricing information to advance their success with premium beef. He also leads communications with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which provides unbiased evaluation of beef for the brand’s G-1 specifications, working across the industry to understand new approaches in beef grading and product selection for the brand. Clint can also be found at The Culinary Center, serving as a guest instructor in the Meat Lab.

Clint grew up on a family ranch in Oklahoma. It was a natural step for him to then attend Oklahoma State University, where he earned a master’s degree in meat science. He resides in Wooster, Ohio, with his wife, Deanna, and two sons.

Pat plans and executes the menu sections of Restaurant Business and FoodService Director, covering food and beverage trends, Menu R&D, profiles of chefs and restaurateurs and Technomic research. She also contributes to the digital content of both RB and FSD and is editor of two weekly e-newsletters, Recipe Report and On the Menu. Pat’s biweekly podcast, MenuFeed, covers a wide range of menu topics through interviews with chefs and operators.

Pat came to Winsight from Hearst, where she was an executive editor. She is the co-author of the Mompreneurs series of books as well as two cookbooks. She graduated from Cornell University and earned a Masters in Journalism from Boston University. She is active in several professional organizations, including Les Dames d’Escoffier and the International Foodservice Editorial Council (IFEC), and serves as a judge for the James Beard Media Awards.