Why the VP of the World Association of Chefs endorses McDonald's
Chef Martin Kobald tells us more about his role as the SA brand endorser for the fast food giant
As a brand endorser I assist with menu development and work on local and international food trends, localising menus with items like the boerie burger that sit alongside core brands like the Big Mac.
A lot of chefs ask me how I can do (this job) because it's fast food, I'm a chef and vice-president of the World Association of Chefs. At the end of the day I ask them a question: chefs work long hours and how many will admit to stopping at McDonald's on the way home?
I also work with McDonald's on their Know Our Food project (knowourfood.co.za), which opens doors for anyone with questions they may have.
I've seen it with my own eyes, McDonald's burgers are 100% beef! Using local deboned beef, it goes through a number of mincing processes, then is moulded and shaped into burgers and placed in a blast chiller from where it is boxed and frozen. There are no additives - no salt or pepper, or a gram of binders or extenders. At the store, on order, the beef patty goes straight onto the grill with no added fats and is cooked for 3½ minutes, then straight onto a bun.
McDonald's sell fries, not chips! They are the best in the world, amazing, and are made from locally grown potatoes, which are washed, peeled and sliced then flash fried, frozen and boxed. The fries are cooked from frozen in vegetable oil to order. They are addictive and my favourite item on the menu. Served with their sachets of real tomato sauce, delicious.
McDonald's recently opened their flagship store at Sammy Marks Square in Tshwane; it's the second in the world after Chicago. It forms part of the flagship restaurants with a new glass design making it more open and light. Comfy seating and no drive-through encourage customers to come in and sit down.