New Zealand’s best butchers compete to be the Young Butcher and ANZCO Foods Butcher Apprentice of the Year.
Video / NZHerald
The National Butchery Awards returned to Auckland yesterday for another day of breakdowns - and we’re not talking about the emotional kind.
The awards saw Luka Young from Pak’nSave Kaitaia win the Pact Packaging Young Butcher of the Year title, while New World Motueka’s Morgan Moore was crowned the ANZCO Foods Butcher Apprentice of the Year.
New Zealand’s best young butchers descended on Eventfinda Stadium yesterday to slice, bone, roll and tie their way to the finish line.
Luka Young from Pak’nSave Kaitaia. Photo / National Butchery Awards
The two-hour cutting test required butchers to put their technical and creative skills to the ultimate test in front of a team of eight judges.
Both the Pact Packaging Young Butchers and the ANZCO Foods Butcher Apprentices needed to break down a size 20 chicken, a full pork loin, beef rump, a leg of lamb and a mystery cut and turn them into a display of value-added products.
Young said that winning meant everything to him after entering multiple times in the past.
Morgan Moore, Photo / National Butchery Awards
“I knew if I kept backing myself it would pay off,” Young said.
“I think my experience and creativity set me apart in the competition and especially the mentorship from Hellers Sharp Blacks Captain Riki Kerekere has helped immensely.”
Meanwhile, Moore was quick to acknowledge those who had supported her on her journey to victory.
“It means everything to win this award, to be able come out on top with my family watching and knowing the support and effort that has gone into it. I didn’t win this for me, I won for everybody who’s got me here.”
And in a refreshing break from tradition, the event saw a record number of female butchers battle it out for awards in an industry that’s largely been dominated by men.
The National Butchery Awards at Eventfinda Stadium. Photo / Corey Fleming
Of the six butchers competing for the Apprentice award, five were women and the gender ratio of the competition as a whole was 50/50.
Contestant Monika Remes, who won Best Beef Product on the night, told the Herald it was a “huge milestone” to see female butchers be recognised for their skills.
“They are actually pushing themselves to be in this industry ... it’s actually amazing seeing so many women are around me.”
Head judge Peter Martin said, “These young people are putting themselves under heaps of pressure.
The National Butchery Awards at Eventfinda Stadium. Photo / Corey Fleming
“They are putting themselves out there, being judged in the public - which no one really does in their workplace - and it’s just the passion and drive that they have to get themselves to this point... it’s inspirational, really”.
Contestants aren’t just judged on their final displays, but also on the process to get there, he explained.
“They are judged on their health and safety, food hygiene, how quickly they do it, how much meat they leave on a bone - because that’s not what we want in our industry,” Martin explained.
“The end result: that beautiful table that all of them will put up.”
The competition has been running for over two decades and requires some pretty fierce knife skills to score an invitation.
In the run-up to the event, regional competitions are held across the country, where entrants complete practical cutting tests to see who can take their butchery skills to national status. Those who meet the mark go through to Nationals to battle it out for the winning title.
