What does it take to become New Zealand’s Young Butcher of the Year?

Sam Weller competes in the Young Butcher of the Year event.
photo: supply

A 30-year-old butcher from the South Island was crowned Pact Packaging’s Young Butcher of the Year after a spirited meat-cutting competition on Thursday night.

Sam Weller, from New World Ravenswood in Christchurch, beat five other finalists in the two-hour marathon as they prepared cuts of meat including beef T-bones, chicken thighs and the mystery lamb saddle. Butchers were judged on their skills including speed, organisation, health and safety and how clean the bones were at the end. Weller’s win qualifies her to compete against the world’s top butchers in Paris next year.

“I’ve worked so hard to get here, and there were many times when I didn’t think I could achieve this goal,” said Weller, the 2018 World Champion Butcher’s Apprentice.

The competition was very tense for Weller. At one point, she looked back and saw her competitors grabbing chicken. “We always save the chicken for last, and I panicked,” she said.

Weller said the contestants’ skills improve every year as more young butchers compete for the nation’s top prize, and she’s grateful for her family’s years of enduring lots of meat-cutting practice.

“It’s a team effort,” she added.

Anton Ramek.
photo: New Zealand Retail Meat

Peter Martin, head judge and butchery training consultant at Skills4Work in Auckland, has seen Weller’s determination to improve each year he competes in the annual competition.

“The contestants all gave great performances, but what really made Sam stand out was her work behind the scenes – she kept her work polished and finished to a very high standard,” Martin said.

Anton Rameka from New World Regent in Whangarei won the ANZCO Food Butcher Apprentice of the Year award. This was his fourth time competing in the competition. “What was different for me today was that my creativity came into play. I’m usually very organised so that helped but staying calm really ensured I got a good result today,” Rameka said.

As part of their reward, Weller and Lameka will compete in the Olympics of butchery, the World Butcher Challenge in Paris in 2025.

“I’ve always loved eating meat and learning about where food comes from,” said Weller, whose surprising career path will give her the chance to compete for one of the world’s top butcher awards.

She started out waiting on customers at a New World butcher shop and later moved into sausage making. Weller was hired as an apprentice, and the rest is history.

“The majority of people you actually saw coming to these races this year were from New World and PAK’nSAVE, with a few from Countdown,” Weller said.

“I do believe they have a good training program and a good manager to train them,” she added.