What the Whole Steer Teaches Us: Rethinking Waste One Cut at a Time

There’s a quiet poetry in the kitchen when a chef looks at an entire animal not as separate parts but as a complete story waiting to be told. In restaurants where the rhythm of preparation and the cadence of service usually chase perfection on a plate, a deeper question has begun to emerge: What happens to all the life we’ve cut away before the food ever arrives at our table?

In rural Central West New South Wales, one chef has taken that question to heart — and to the butcher’s block. Instead of ordering only the popular prime cuts that most diners expect, executive chef Dom Aboud of Union Bank in Orange has begun purchasing entire steers to use every part of the animal in his culinary creations. What might once have been dismissed as scraps or “funny cuts” are now the ingredients of a thoughtfully crafted menu, and in doing so, Aboud hopes to lessen food waste and rethink the way restaurants source and serve meat.

The idea sprung from a simple observation: when Aboud ordered a dozen Scotch fillets for his kitchen, he couldn’t help but wonder about the remaining 200 kilograms of meat on the animal. That curiosity sparked a change in approach. By buying the whole steer and working through the carcass — from primals to lesser‑known cuts — Aboud and his team began creating dishes from cuts that usually might be turned into mince, pet food, or discarded. The chef explained that this shift not only helps reduce waste, but also supports local producers and makes economic sense for his business.

According to industry figures, only about 8% of a steer’s carcass typically goes toward prime cuts like Scotch fillet and sirloin. The rest — shoulders, chuck, flank, and other cuts — often get trimmed away in favor of parts that fetch higher prices in supermarkets and restaurants. But when Aboud and his kitchen team explored the potential of these “secondary offcuts,” they found a surprising range of flavors and textures that diners are embracing. Dishes such as a Lebanese‑inspired corned beef, veal schnitzel, and chuck roll have found their place on the menu, turning what was once overlooked into celebrated fare.

This whole‑animal approach aligns with a broader sustainability movement in the culinary world. Many chefs advocate “nose to tail” cooking — a philosophy championed by figures such as British chef Fergus Henderson, who has long encouraged using every part of the animal to honor both the ingredient and the environment.

Aboud acknowledges that taking on a whole steer requires creativity and planning; the kitchen must adapt to include a wide range of cuts and prepare them in ways that appeal to guests. Yet he views this not as a challenge but as an opportunity to expand the culinary repertoire, reduce waste, and demonstrate how passion and innovation can intersect with sustainability.

Using the whole steer also delivers practical benefits. Restaurants that opt for entire carcasses often pay less per kilogram of meat compared to purchasing select cuts individually, offering an efficiency dividend that can help offset food costs. The fat and trimmings are not ignored either — they are rendered into tallow and incorporated into sauces, stocks, and other components that enrich the menu.

In straightforward terms, Chef Dom Aboud’s experiment with a whole‑steer approach means his restaurant is making better use of every part of the animal, reducing food waste while crafting inventive dishes from cuts that may otherwise be overlooked. This practice reflects a slowly growing trend in the industry toward sustainability and creative stewardship of ingredients.

For diners, it offers a more thoughtful way of enjoying meat — one that recognizes the full journey from pasture to plate and the care that goes into every cut.

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