Young Christchurch butcher wins apprentice of the year

Blair Wright. Photo / Supplied

A Christchurch lad is officially New Zealand's young butcher to watch.

Blair Wright, of Peter Timbs Meats, took out the apprentice category at the Retail Meats New Zealand National Butchery Competition in Auckland.

He was the youngest competitor, having only just turned 19.

Wright said it is a challenging and rewarding career path that he highly recommends.

"You learn a lot about how to cook different cuts of meats, you find out about cuts of meat you didn't even know about that you can make amazing stuff with."

He said he was judged on speed, efficiency and presentation.

"You get so used to the shape of bones, it's all about repetition really, once you get used to what you're doing you can work on your speed."

A two-hour cutting test required competitors to keep their nerve and showcase their expertise in front of a team of eight judges.

In addition to this, the apprentices were also expected to complete a 30-question, multiple-choice exam and an interview with the judges as part of their route to glory.

There were three titles up for grabs in the competition, the Alto Young Butcher of the Year, the ANZCO Foods Butcher Apprentice of the Year, and the Pure South Master Butcher of the Year.

Finalists were chosen in September after five tightly fought regional competitions in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, involving more than 40 competitors.

The grand final was streamed live to the industry from the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland last night.

James Smith from Pak'nSave Pukekohe won the Alto Young Butcher of the Year.