GOOD Meat's Cultivated Chicken Sold in US for the First Time
The landmark dinner at China Chilcano by José Andrés saw a select group of diners sit down to a historic meal of charcoal-grilled cultivated chicken in the nation’s capital.
José Andrés prepares GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken. Credit: GOOD Meat/Ana I. Martinez Chamorro
GOOD Meat, the cultivated meat division of Eat Just, Inc., has achieved a historic milestone by introducing its chicken made from animal cells to the US market for the first time.
This groundbreaking achievement marks a significant step forward in the realm of sustainable and innovative food production and follows hot on the heels of UPSIDE Foods' cultivated chicken debut.
The landmark dinner by GOOD Meat was hosted at by chef and global humanitarian José Andrés at his Washington, DC restaurant China Chilcano in honor of the late Willem van Eelen, who is widely known as the “godfather of cultivated meat” and would have celebrated his 100th birthday on July 4, 2023.
“The big day is here, the chicken is here, and people are going to be talking. This is a first for the history of humanity,” said Andrés, adding that he selected his award-winning Peruvian concept as the first to offer GOOD Meat because “Peru is a country of many civilizations at once.”
The new dish, “Anticuchos de Pollo,” featured GOOD Meat's cultivated chicken marinated with anticucho sauce, charcoal-grilled in front of a crowd, and served with native potatoes and ají Amarillo chimichurri.
GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken. Credit: GOOD Meat/Ana I. Martinez Chamorro
Diners included van Eelen’s daughter Ira and his grandson, Kick. Willem was a Dutch researcher, entrepreneur and prisoner of war who made it his life’s mission to realize the promise of safe, sustainable meat production from cells instead of live animals.
“I am proud that GOOD Meat is launching with José Andrés, beginning a new tradition of how Americans will eat meat in the many decades ahead. I am also humbled that our company can honor Willem van Eelen’s lasting legacy at this centennial celebration,” said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of GOOD Meat and Eat Just.
Credit: GOOD Meat/Ana I. Martinez Chamorro
Ira van Eelen, who has continued in her father’s footsteps as a global champion for cultivated meat, celebrated the event: “I am grateful that a promise my father made decades ago has come true. I’m so happy we can stop talking about it and go eat it, because tasting is believing. This is the meat we love and trust, just made in a better way.”
The event comes two weeks after GOOD Meat and UPSIDE Foods received full U.S. regulatory approval to sell chicken to American consumers.
GOOD Meat remains the world’s first-to-market cultivated meat company, winning multiple regulatory approvals for its chicken in Singapore in 2020 and 2021.
What Is Cultivated Meat?
Cultivated meat is produced directly from animal cells - but there is no slaughter involved. Simply put, cells are painlessly taken from a living animal and then scientists feed and nurture the cells so that they multiply. This method can be used to produce meat, fish, and dairy products all while removing the need to raise and farm animals for food.
This industry has the potential to spare the trillions of animals slaughtered by the meat and seafood industries. And prospective lifestyle assessments indicate that cultivated meat will use significantly less land and water, emit fewer greenhouse gasses, and reduce agriculture-related pollution and eutrophication.
Learn more about cultivated meat here and check out the Species Unite Future of Food podcast episodes here.
Starting July 31, the cultivated chicken skewers will make their official debut on China Chilcano's menu. Reservations to try the chicken will be available from July 25, with limited quantities available each week Visit chinachilcano.com for more information..
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