A pair of Edmonton butchers are ready to “meat” the competition at the World Butcher Challenge.
For the first time, Canada is sending a team of eight competitors to the international butcher contest, which takes place in Sacramento, Cali. in fall 2020.
Two of those butchers, Elyse Chatterton and Corey Meyer of ACME Meat Market, are from Edmonton.
"It is good exposure, I guess not only for ACME Meats and for us, but it's good for the industry," said Meyer.
"I'm looking forward to meeting so many other butchers from around the world and people I follow on social media who I admire so much," said Chatterton.
“They are up against 15 other teams from around the world to determine who will be the World’s Best Butchers,” Team Canada said on a crowdfunding page aimed at helping them make it to Sacramento. “Competing comes with a hefty price tag as competitors must travel across our vast country to practice together, not to mention the expense of travel to California for the competition itself.”
The team, which includes butchers from British Columbia, Ontario and Didsbury, Alta., is trying to raise $45,000 to carve its way into the competition.
On its website, the World Butcher Challenge bills itself as “the greatest butchery event on Earth.”
It states its goal is to “develop an environment where butchers strive to exceed current industry practice in the areas of general workmanship, meat cutting, displaying and the creative usage of beef, lamb, pork and chicken product.”
The competition unfolds over three hours and 15 minutes in which competitors are given a side of beef, a side of pork, a whole lamb and five chickens to work with.
Chatterton and Meyer told CTV News Edmonton that speed is a big thing in the competition and they'll have to "step it up a notch."
"We have to work together as a team, and with a tight timeframe...teamwork is going to be really, really important," said Chatterton.
Results are judged on technique, skill, workmanship, innovation and overall finish and presentation.
