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<\/p>\nWhen asked about his favourite red meat cut, head chef Frank Correnti goes back to basics.<\/p>\n
“It’d have to be a simple, beautiful piece of meat, red meat, rib fillet is my favourite cut, and just served simply on the grill.”<\/p>\n
Mr Correnti, who runs a steakhouse in inner-city Brisbane, said he hopes predicted rising steak costs would not impact him greatly.<\/p>\n
But he said he was prepared if they did.<\/p>\n
“If by chance there is a price rise in meat, we absorb the price rise as much as possible,” he said.<\/p>\n
Instead of increasing the cost of his signature dishes, Mr Correnti said he focused on correct portion sizes.<\/p>\n
“A lot of the fluctuations in cost on plate may come down to a simple portioning error with our staff,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It could be the sauce that goes with it, could be the chips that go on the plate or the salad that goes on the plate.”<\/p>\n
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Chefs use different techniques to manage the cost of restaurant steaks, Mr Correnti says. (Supplied: Frank Correnti)<\/p>\n
Sometimes, he searches for alternative ingredients.<\/p>\n
“We ensure that everything is weighted and measured, [or] I may go to market and see what else is available of the same quality.”<\/p>\n
This year’s Rare Medium report found Mr Correnti was not alone, with restaurants across Australia making menu changes driven by the economy.<\/p>\n
Steaks to become more expensive<\/p>\n
Almost every part of the red meat supply chain \u2014 farmers, feedlots, freight trucks and meatworks \u2014 relies on inputs directly impacted by the Iran war.<\/p>\n
Episode 3 analyst Matt Dalgleish said these costs would likely filter through to restaurants and supermarket shelves, but said that process took weeks.<\/p>\n
“From wholesale to retail, [increased costs] can take three to six months to flow through, so next month [June] or so, we should see some impacts.”<\/p>\n
Mr Dalgleish said he expected red meat prices to rise by 20 to 50 cents per kilogram in the city, and up to $1 per kilogram in regional locations.<\/p>\n
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It can take weeks for increased costs to reach restaurants and supermarkets. (ABC News: Bec Whetham )<\/p>\n
“Metro areas that have good distribution networks [have] processing centres close enough to where the people are, so the transport’s not as far,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Anything that’s highly perishable, like dairy, like meat, like fresh produce, anything that relies on fertiliser to get the yields, they’re all going to be ones that are more targeted.”<\/p>\n
Mr Dalgleish said the entire supply chain was “under pressure” with little room for farmers or suppliers to absorb costs.<\/p>\n
He said freight costs were up 15 to 40 per cent due to fuel levies and fertiliser had almost doubled in price in some cases since the war began.<\/p>\n
Chefs ‘pay more attention’ to new meats<\/p>\n
While restaurants tend to obtain their ingredients direct from wholesalers, they are not immune to shocks further up the supply chain.<\/p>\n
Mr Correnti said he worked directly with meatworks to obtain full carcasses, which gave him greater control over quality and portion size.<\/p>\n
“Apart from getting meat portioned in, ready to go, I also do a lot of portioning in-house,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It gives me a cheaper portion-cut price \u2026 but also, I have the ability to use any trimmings for alternate meals.”![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/a1acb33468c86899acef18b60f1dc5f2.jpeg\")
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Mr Correnti says he never swaps out his steaks, but will find alternative salads or vegetables. (Supplied: Frank Correnti)<\/p>\n
Burger patties and bolognese can be made with the trimmings, Mr Correnti said.<\/p>\n
“All of my sausages that we serve on the menu are made in-house from all our trimmings of our Wagyu rib fillets and rumps and so forth.”<\/p>\n
This year, a Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) report found restaurants were increasingly turning to “signature dishes” and “all-of-carcass cuts” to manage the rising cost of red meats.<\/p>\n
The report, which compiled chef interviews from the industry last year, aimed to see how chefs responded to changes in Australia’s economy.<\/p>\n
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A roasted femur bone with marrow and roasted garlic puree, served at the Norman Hotel in Brisbane. (Supplied: Frank Correnti)<\/p>\n
MLA brand content manager Mary-Jane Morse said the report showed chefs took different approaches to manage rising costs.<\/p>\n
“Chefs are so creative, and we’re really seeing such a diversification of the cuisines and the cultures that are using our products,” Ms Morse said.<\/p>\n
She said some chefs were “paying more attention” to the entire carcass, rather than just the 8 per cent of an animal that made up the most common cuts.<\/p>\n
“We’re seeing cuts like lamb neck, beef shin, tongue and intercostals, skirt steaks [and] all those things that have been considered secondary.”<\/p>\n
She said the MLA report found 60 per cent of diners would also return to a restaurant for a single delicious, stand-out item.<\/p>\n