- Words by Lauren Kramer Photography by Martin Knowles

It was May 2022 and Vancouverite Daniel Bae was on his way to Germany to compete in an event considered the Olympics of sausage-makers worldwide. There were over 2,000 products entered in the Deutscher Fleischer-Verband competition, and the more than 50 presiding judges were master butchers with incredibly discriminating palates.

Daniel entered 28 products from his six-year-old company Bae Food Group, which was unique in that it had intentionally had no sales to date.

91裸聊视频淲e wanted to make sure we were making really good meat products before we started selling,91裸聊视频� he explained.

When he walked off with 28 medals91裸聊视频�26 gold and two silver91裸聊视频擠aniel knew he was onto something. Though his quest to make great meats was far from over, this was the confirmation he needed that he was off to a good start.

is a food processor operating out of Edmonton, in a facility with distribution capabilities across Canada and into the US. But its founder91裸聊视频檚 immersion into the culinary world would have seemed unlikely even 10 years ago.

A classical violinist who has performed as a soloist with international orchestras, 42-year-old Daniel was born in Germany and moved to Burnaby with his family as a child. He graduated high school in Burnaby and enrolled at UBC, initially intending to study medicine. But music drew him to Mainz, Germany, where he studied violin at Johannes Gutenberg University, graduating in 2007.

91裸聊视频淎fter my studies, my family wanted me to come back to Canada, work in construction and operate hotels, our family business,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 did this for a while until I realized that my real passions are creating food and music. And, I found out, I91裸聊视频檓 good at both!91裸聊视频�

In 2016 Daniel began his culinary work, focusing on Asian and European meat products that are traditional in other countries but not sold in North America. Bae Food Group91裸聊视频檚 products include Korean-style sausages, Japanese-style cocktail sausages, frozen products such as Korean barbecue, and cevapcici, an eastern European skinless meat that91裸聊视频檚 a national street food in many of the Balkan countries. Next year the company will release its jerky products.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 a firm believer in the farm-to-table concept, so we work with local farmers in Alberta and across Canada. And that91裸聊视频檚 really why we are based in Alberta, where the good meat is,91裸聊视频� Daniel said.

Being German was an asset when it came to understanding meat, as the country is famous for its sausages and meat products.

91裸聊视频淚 grew up in the heart of Munich, known as the sausage capital of Germany, which means I tasted the best German meat products,91裸聊视频� Daniel said.

When Daniel returned from the competition in Germany, discussions with grocery stores began in earnest, and Bae Food Group91裸聊视频檚 brands91裸聊视频攁mong them Tasty Meat Snacks, Chef91裸聊视频檚 Grill, Premium Korean BBQ, Bacon2Go, Peppe Skinless Pepperoni and Oppa91裸聊视频檚 Korean BBQ91裸聊视频攁re now available at H-Mart and most Asian supermarkets. Talks are in progress with mainstream distribution channels and by the year91裸聊视频檚 end those brands will be readily available across BC and Alberta91裸聊视频攁nd soon, across Canada.

Daniel has big dreams for his company.

91裸聊视频淥nce we91裸聊视频檙e across Canada we want to make our products available in the US, too,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e not a small butcher91裸聊视频攚e purchased machines that can produce up to 4,000 kg per hour, and I believe we91裸聊视频檒l become one of the largest ethnic meat and jerky producers in the coming years.91裸聊视频�

Far from just appealing to Asian and European buyers, Daniel believes his products will have widespread appeal to all consumers, and market studies back this up.

91裸聊视频淭hose studies have shown our product will sell better at a non-ethnic retailer because there91裸聊视频檚 such a limited availability of ethnic meat products available. Go to any grocery store and you won91裸聊视频檛 see many Asian meat products,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲ith our barbecue meats you can enjoy a warm meal of thinly sliced beef bulgogi or Korean barbecue ready in five minutes at home. There91裸聊视频檚 nothing else like that.

91裸聊视频淚n North America, cocktail sausages usually contain the cheapest byproduct,91裸聊视频� he noted. 91裸聊视频淔rom this most neglected category, we91裸聊视频檙e trying to make the very best products.91裸聊视频�

Daniel counts chef Michel Jacob from Le Crocodile as a mentor and friend who has taught him the value of perfection and consistency. He was also influenced by Jim Pattison when he met the Vancouver icon recently.

91裸聊视频淛im taught me the definition of being humble, as well as how to treat my staff,91裸聊视频� he said.

When he91裸聊视频檚 not refining his meat products, Daniel is playing Mozart or Vivaldi on the violin, much of the time playing by heart.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 really good at improvising with music, and that carries over into my work in the kitchen,91裸聊视频� he explained. 91裸聊视频淚 try to create foods that are very artistic by taking something that91裸聊视频檚 popular in one culture and combining it with something popular in another. I love to be really creative with the food I make, and to think outside of the box.91裸聊视频�

One thing Daniel is sure of is that there is always, always room for improvement91裸聊视频攅ven when you91裸聊视频檝e just won 28 medals at an international competition.

91裸聊视频淎fter we were awarded the prizes, I went to the judges and implored them to talk with me about how we could improve,91裸聊视频� he recalled. 91裸聊视频淵ou always have to try to make things better.91裸聊视频�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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