Determined Butchers Dice up Regionals

Determined Butchers Dice up Regionals

The Alto Young Butcher and Competenz Butcher Apprentice of the Year is well underway with the Lower South Island Regional held yesterday in Dunedin.

The Alto Young Butcher regional winner Caleb Slipper and Competenz Butcher Apprentice regional winner Ben Henry, both from New World Centre City in Dunedin, have earned their spot in the next stage of the competition.

Caleb and Ben are now set to challenge some of the country’s finest butchers with a study tour around Europe up for grabs if they are successful in the Grand Final held in September.

Competing for the first time, Ben takes great pride in his work.

“I enjoy the attention to detail and the customer interactions. Explaining to people how to cook their products and giving them little tips to make it the best it can be is really rewarding,” says Ben.

During the regional each entrant completes a written exam, an interview and a practical cutting test.

Caleb, who also made the final in 2012, believes that being well spoken, friendly and quick with his knife are his point of difference in the competition.

Winners from the five regionals will then go onto contend in a full day of intense competition at the Alto Young Butcher and Competenz Butcher Apprentice of the Year Grand Final on Friday 12 September at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland.

The competition is supported by Alto, Competenz, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Cabernet Foods, Dunninghams, Hellers, Kerry Ingredients, New Zealand Pork, Wilson Hellaby, Natural Farm, Tegel.

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