- 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.

含羞草研究社淲e wanted to make sure we were making really good meat products before we started selling,含羞草研究社� he explained.

When he walked off with 28 medals含羞草研究社�26 gold and two silver含羞草研究社擠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 founder含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淎fter my studies, my family wanted me to come back to Canada, work in construction and operate hotels, our family business,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚 did this for a while until I realized that my real passions are creating food and music. And, I found out, I含羞草研究社檓 good at both!含羞草研究社�

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 Group含羞草研究社檚 products include Korean-style sausages, Japanese-style cocktail sausages, frozen products such as Korean barbecue, and cevapcici, an eastern European skinless meat that含羞草研究社檚 a national street food in many of the Balkan countries. Next year the company will release its jerky products.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 a firm believer in the farm-to-table concept, so we work with local farmers in Alberta and across Canada. And that含羞草研究社檚 really why we are based in Alberta, where the good meat is,含羞草研究社� Daniel said.

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

含羞草研究社淚 grew up in the heart of Munich, known as the sausage capital of Germany, which means I tasted the best German meat products,含羞草研究社� Daniel said.

When Daniel returned from the competition in Germany, discussions with grocery stores began in earnest, and Bae Food Group含羞草研究社檚 brands含羞草研究社攁mong them Tasty Meat Snacks, Chef含羞草研究社檚 Grill, Premium Korean BBQ, Bacon2Go, Peppe Skinless Pepperoni and Oppa含羞草研究社檚 Korean BBQ含羞草研究社攁re now available at H-Mart and most Asian supermarkets. Talks are in progress with mainstream distribution channels and by the year含羞草研究社檚 end those brands will be readily available across BC and Alberta含羞草研究社攁nd soon, across Canada.

Daniel has big dreams for his company.

含羞草研究社淥nce we含羞草研究社檙e across Canada we want to make our products available in the US, too,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e not a small butcher含羞草研究社攚e purchased machines that can produce up to 4,000 kg per hour, and I believe we含羞草研究社檒l become one of the largest ethnic meat and jerky producers in the coming years.含羞草研究社�

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.

含羞草研究社淭hose studies have shown our product will sell better at a non-ethnic retailer because there含羞草研究社檚 such a limited availability of ethnic meat products available. Go to any grocery store and you won含羞草研究社檛 see many Asian meat products,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淲ith our barbecue meats you can enjoy a warm meal of thinly sliced beef bulgogi or Korean barbecue ready in five minutes at home. There含羞草研究社檚 nothing else like that.

含羞草研究社淚n North America, cocktail sausages usually contain the cheapest byproduct,含羞草研究社� he noted. 含羞草研究社淔rom this most neglected category, we含羞草研究社檙e trying to make the very best products.含羞草研究社�

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.

含羞草研究社淛im taught me the definition of being humble, as well as how to treat my staff,含羞草研究社� he said.

When he含羞草研究社檚 not refining his meat products, Daniel is playing Mozart or Vivaldi on the violin, much of the time playing by heart.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 really good at improvising with music, and that carries over into my work in the kitchen,含羞草研究社� he explained. 含羞草研究社淚 try to create foods that are very artistic by taking something that含羞草研究社檚 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.含羞草研究社�

One thing Daniel is sure of is that there is always, always room for improvement含羞草研究社攅ven when you含羞草研究社檝e just won 28 medals at an international competition.

含羞草研究社淎fter we were awarded the prizes, I went to the judges and implored them to talk with me about how we could improve,含羞草研究社� he recalled. 含羞草研究社淵ou always have to try to make things better.含羞草研究社�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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