The Lowdown: National Steak Day
Nonsense, we already have a National Steak Day
Surprising as it sounds, we don’t. This is the first one.
Could have sworn we did, but ok. What’s it all about?
It’s a new initiative from Smith & Wollensky operations director Nathan Evans, as a way of promoting prime quality red meat that is sourced from producers who adhere to the highest welfare standards. We have a specific day to celebrate cheese, donuts get a whole week of revelry, and there’s even a month dedicated to oatmeal. Well now it’s time for carnivores to get a piece of the action.
How does it work?
Steak lovers who want to take part in the event just need to visit the National Steak Day website, where they will be able to apply for a free voucher that will give them 25% off steak at a number of restaurants across the country, including Smith & Wollensky, Bodeans, M restaurants, Mr White’s English Chophouse, Gaucho and Hix restaurants.
Why are they launching this now?
Evans said at the launch event in early April that the meat industry was facing turbulent times due to the growing presence of organised animal rights groups. There have been several reported cases in recent months of activists from groups such as DxE (Direct Action Everywhere) storming into restaurants during service, often brandishing pictures of cuddly farm animals with captions like “it’s not meat, it’s murder”. Evans says he appreciates and understands their point of view, but believes there are more effective ways of them getting their message across. And though National Steak Day isn’t being billed as a response to this rising tide, it is being promoted as a chance to celebrate the high standards of animal welfare and husbandry that’s available to consumers but not always advertised.
Sounds good. But Steak Day definitely exists already
Fairly sure you’re thinking of the, ahem, satirical but still chauvinistic Steak and Blowjob day, which was created by insecure men in America as a male response to Valentine’s Day.
And this is different to that, right?
Very much so. Sure National Steak Day is a marketing ploy, but with its message of championing responsibly-sourced meat, it’s also something a fair few restaurants will want to get involved with next time round.
