Instructions: Birds of a feather flock to ostrich: The other red meat

Barney Lamberson is studying to be an expert in ostrich meat.

The 40-year-old chef didnt begin dabbling in the beef alternative until May, when he was hired as a sales representative for the Ostrich Meat Company of Modesto. The company sells exotic meats such as buffalo, veal and ostrich to restaurants nationwide.

Hes since made it his mission to learn all there is to know about the flightless bird and its low-fat meat.

"The best way to learn about ostrich meat is just by eating a lot of it," Lamberson said. "One thing Ive learned is do not overcook it.

Ostrich meat cooks up a lot quicker than red meat because it has a lot less fat."

Lamberson will demonstrate some of what he has learned at Saturdays Modesto Certified Farmers Market. Hell prepare ostrich kebabs in Italian apricot marinade.

"I have a hard time describing its taste. ... It just tastes really good," Lamberson said.

The San Juan Bautista natives culinary career began as a dishwasher at a five-star Italian restaurant, when he was in high school. He eventually moved up the restaurants ladder to become one of its cooks.

"I had chefs teaching me hands-on," Lamberson said. "I never went to chefs school. Thats rare today, but back then, thats what everybody did. Nobody went to school to learn to be chef."

Lamberson next worked at an upscale Mexican restaurant that served everything from crepes to fish.

"I got burned out on cooking after working there for a while," he said. "I was tired. Kitchens are hot places."

For the next decade or so, cooking was secondary in Lambersons life. Hed cook for his friends and family, but he refused do it as a job, opting instead to work as a truck driver or a portrait photographer.

Lamberson rediscovered the joy of cooking in the late 1990s, when he helped a friend set up and manage a small deli and barbecue at a gas station. At the request of his regular customers, Lamberson began selling small jars of his seasoning spices.

"When people started asking for my seasoning, I realized I was on to something," he said.

As the popularity of his spices grew, area grocery stores, such as Richland Markets, began to carry Barneys Gourmet Grilling Spices.

"The Ostrich Meat Company hired me because they liked my seasoning and thought Id be good at talking to chefs," Lamberson said.

So, what exactly does he tell chefs interested in adding ostrich meat to their restaurant menus?

"Ostrich meat is extremely lean, only 1.2 grams of fat per serving," Lamberson said. "If youre an older person, you need iron.

Ostrich meat has the highest iron.

"Ostrich meat tastes just like beef, and its better for you. Dont be afraid to try it."

Lamberson especially tries to sell chefs on the low fat content of ostrich meat. Ostrich meat has less fat than chicken or turkey, he said.

A number of Modesto-area restaurants carry Ostrich Meat Company products, including Hazels Elegant Dining Restaurant and the Roseburg Cafe.

"Everybody is on the health-food kick now, so the ostrich has been doing pretty well for me," said Daryl Propes, owner of Roseburg Cafe. "Ive only had one bad review out of about 35."

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