Joseph Decuis Gourmet Restaurant, Farm and Culinarium Now Certified Humane® by Humane Farm Animal Care
Online, February 16, 2011 (Newswire.com) - The Joseph Decuis Farm, Restaurant and Culinariium are now Certified Humane® by Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) as producers of Certified Humane Raised and Handled® Wagyu Beef, Beef Products and eggs. Alice Eshelman, proprietor of Joseph Decuis says their Certified Humane® Waygu Beef and Free-Range Eggs are used as ingredients at the Joseph Decuis Gourmet Restaurant. Joseph Decuis is the first and only Certified Humane® restaurant in Indiana and only one of six in the United States.
Further, Eshelman explains: "The Certified Humane® designation assures our customers that our Wagyu beef and eggs have been produced on our farm according to HFAC's precise standards for humane farm animal treatment. Animals must receive a nutritious diet without antibiotics or hormones, and must be raised with shelter, resting areas and space sufficient to support natural behavior. Compliance with the HFAC standards is verified through annual on-site visits by HFAC's third-party inspectors.
"In order for the restaurant to be Certified Humane® the restaurant must undergo an extensive audit to ensure that the products they advertise as Certified Humane® can be identified throughout their handling, cooking and serving process. Once the restaurant has passed inspection, it is awarded certification. The restaurant must reapply to the program and be re-inspected on an annual basis. This extensive and ongoing certification process includes the auditing and inspection of all procedures, facilities, receipts and sales records."
Additional National Recognition
Alice Eshelman, and husband Pete, are pioneers in the 'Farm to Fork' dining experience and have nurtured what started out as a small town gourmet restaurant into a world-class fine dining destination which is now included in the OpenTable® 'Top 50 Best Overall U.S. Restaurants' and rated as a Chicago 'AAA Four Diamond Restaurant' for the sixth consecutive year.
OpenTable, Inc., a leading provider of free online reservations for diners and guest management systems for restaurants, announced the winners of its 2010 Diners' Choice awards for the Best Overall restaurants in mid-December. The list of winners was derived from more than 7 million reviews submitted by OpenTable diners from more than 15,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Restaurants from 22 states and the District of Columbia made the top 50 list. Joseph Decuis Gourmet Restaurant was the only winner in Indiana.
In addition to the OpenTable® recognition, the Joseph Decuis Gourmet Restaurant was again rated as a AAA/CCA Four Diamond Restaurant for 2011. Joseph Decuis has made the list since 2006. Only three other restaurants in Indiana were given Four Diamond distinction by AAA.
In August 2010, the Joseph Decuis team, led by Executive Chef Aaron Butts, was invited to serve dinner at the prestigious James Beard House in New York. Alice Eshelman says, "From start to finish the evening was flawless, delicious and fun. The menu was a tribute to Indiana farm-raised natural foods with the Joseph Decuis flair, and New York applauded and savored every bite. We made Indiana proud!"
Joseph Decuis is also honored by Wine Spectator Magazine as one of only three restaurants in Indiana with its Best of Excellence Award, recognizing its wine program for having one of the most outstanding restaurant wine lists in the world.
About Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC)
The Certified Humane Raised and Handled® program is a certification and labeling program that is the only animal welfare label requiring the humane treatment of farm animals from birth through slaughter. The goal of the program is to improve the lives of farm animals by driving consumer demand for kinder and more responsible farm animal practices. When you see the Certified Humane Raised and Handled® label on a product you can be assured that the food products have come from facilities that meet precise, objective standards for farm animal treatment.
About Joseph Decuis
Joseph Decuis (pronounced day-QUEEZ) is truly a Farm to Fork restaurant: raising its own Wagyu (Kobe-style) beef, using eggs from free range hens on its farm, and cooking with herbs and vegetables from its gardens. Further, Joseph Decuis sources its other meats - such as chicken, pork, veal and yellow perch - all from Indiana farms. Located in Roanoke, IN, a charming, historic rural community in northeast Indiana (15 minutes from Ft. Wayne, 1.5 hours north of Indianapolis and 3 hours east of Chicago), Joseph Decuis is the showcase for local farm raised food, and is a gourmet experience to remember. The Joseph Decuis operation also includes an Emporium, Culinarium and Inn, in addition to its acclaimed restaurant and farm.
Contacts:
Alice Eshelman, Joseph Decuis - 260-672-1715
Maggie Holben, Absolutely PR - 303-984-9801