Aussie Beef Mates
Meet our UK Aussie Beef Mates
Meet our UK Aussie Beef Mates, a group of influential food professionals with extensive experience cooking Australian beef. These talented chefs partner with us to promote awareness of Australian beef in the UK.
Join our Aussie Beef Mates on their culinary adventures as they share the amazing taste of high-quality, nutritious, and sustainably produced Aussie Beef. See their latest creations by following them on social media and visiting their websites. Don’t miss their skills in preparing delicious dishes made with Aussie Beef.
Ioannis Grammenos
Executive Chef & Meatologist™
Ioannis began his career in his native Greece, working through the ranks in professional kitchens. His passion for Mediterranean cuisine led to a prominent role on the Greek television show Chefs on Air for five consecutive years. In 2012, he relocated to London to become the Executive Chef at Heliot Steak House. In 2018, Ioannis was named the world’s first Meatologist™ with the launch of the UK's first School of Meatology™. Based in the restaurant, the school offers a series of classes designed to educate meat enthusiasts on butchery and steak cooking. Under Ioannis’s leadership, Heliot Steak House has been named Best Steak Restaurant in London at the Bookatable Awards in 2015, 2017, and 2018. It has also received the Best UK Casino Restaurant award in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2024 from the British Casino Awards and Best Steakhouse 2018 in the Lux Magazine Bar and Restaurant Awards. Ioannis has served as Chairman of Judges for the World Steak Challenge since 2021, overseeing 92 judges from around the world. Ioannis was awarded the CGOC Master Craftsman of the Craft Guild of Chefs.
Favourite Footy Team:
Arsenal, Panathinaikos Greece
Favourite Cut of Beef:
I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying steak from around the world, and I particularly love using simple, flavourful ingredients like lemon, thyme, and salt. When it comes to steak, my favourite is a perfectly cooked sirloin—medium rare to medium—finished with a touch of sea salt and served with a rich red wine sauce. It's a simple yet elegant dish that always hits the spot.
Dan Espley
I began my meat journey well over two decades ago with a supermarket apprenticeship whilst graduating from the Hunter Institute of TAFE, New South Wales as apprentice of the year. Dove straight into various retail butchery sides of the trade before returning to the Hunter Institute but this time as a teacher. Moved to London eventually, initially for a shorter stay, but found a real sense of community when helping start and build Provenance Village Butchers in west London where I still get on the knives as their General Manager. I enjoy keeping a finger on the pulse of the meat industry and building up the apprentices to who will eventually inherit the trade of delivering fantastic meat to thankful customers. Being an Aussie Beef Mate only adds to my pride in Aussie exports, such as myself.
Favourite Footy Team:
Central Coast Mariners
Favourite Cut of Beef:
A medium rare to medium, marbled ribeye steak served with triple cooked chips. Hold the salad. Paired with a generous glass of red and friendly company.