On the Up: Hawke’s Bay butcher a cut above almost all the rest after taking out third place in the world

A young Central Hawke’s Bay butcher returns home this week from the trip of a lifetime, in which he proved a cut above almost everyone else as third place-getter in the World Champion Butcher Apprentice competition in Paris.

Rhys Tamanui, 23, from Waipawa Butchery, had never been further than Brisbane before and said while travelling in Europe after the success: “Paris was never a destination at the top of my list and I never would have thought picking up a knife would get me anywhere near as close to the Eiffel Tower as it has.”

The acclaim came at the end of the competition last week, after being one of 14 chasing the title as representatives of eight of the 16 countries with teams across the three divisions at the championships.

Already a regional, North Island and national champion, and part of the ANZCO Foods Young Butcher Squad, he was quoted in a media release as being “absolutely ecstatic” with the global success and “wasn’t expecting this to happen”.

“I feel incredibly emotional,” he said. “The support from everyone around me – the sponsors, the team at Waipawa Butchery, and the Hellers Sharp Blacks, has been key in getting here. It’s been a long journey, but absolutely worth it.

“I’m just over the moon.”

If the cap fits, wear it. From Waipawa to Paris: Rhys Tamanui pictured after finishing third at the World Champion Butcher Apprentice competition in France last week.

He told Hawke’s Bay Today: “The competition was amazing - huge atmosphere, so many people in the crowd cheering, keeping their countries’ best butchers going during their comps.”

Contestants had two-and-a-half hours to turn a beef rump on the bone, side of lamb, a pork loin and two chickens into a themed display made up of both compulsory pre-set products and their choice of value-added products.

Waipawa Butchery owner Annabel Tapley-Smith said they were “incredibly” proud of Tamanui, who has been with them since he left school, and finishes his apprenticeship in the next two months.

“Over the years, Rhys has really embraced Waipawa Butchery’s old-school methods and seeing him go from our small town Waipawa, in Central Hawke’s Bay, to representing New Zealand on the world stage, is just incredible,” Tapley-Smith said.

The history of the championships dates back to the first known international butchery contest in 2011, between New Zealand’s Pure South Sharp Blacks and the Australian Steelers.

Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today and has 52 years of journalism experience, 42 of them in Hawke’s Bay, in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.