UK butchery team continues to improve on an international stage
UK butchery team continues to improve on an international stage
Lancashire’s Ryan Healy from Riley’s Butchers near Burnley and Cheshire’s Matthew (Matty) Edwards of Vaughan Family Butchers in Penyfford near Chester competed in last week’s International Young Butcher Competition held in Bazenheid near Zurich, Switzerland and despite a defeat: “Just keep getting better and better,” said NFMFT president John Mettrick.
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- UK’s Barbecue platter.
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- Ryan’s Checked Roast.
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- L-R: Team UK – Ryan Healy and Matthew Edwards.
Both Ryan and Matty underwent months of preparation and intensive training under the guidance of RAPS (UK) representative Viv Harvey at Leeds City College with support from the National Federation of Meat and Food Traders and sponsors BPEX, Dalziel, EBLEX, the Institute of Meat, Meat Training Council, Weddel Swift and the Worshipful Company of Butchers.
Accompanying the team Federation CEO, Roger Kelsey, said: “To give the lads their due and despite an early set back the two turned in an incredible overall performance, particularly in the seam butchery.”
Mettrick added: “For the UK team competing in these international competitions it means having to learn a completely different style of butchery that’s not prevalent here in many butchers shops, so all credit to Ryan and Matty.”
Winners
This year’s competition, one of the fiercest contested in terms of standard of products and competitor skills for years, was won by Nathan BURGGRAAF from Holland. Second place went to Austria’s Hans GRIESSER while third place went to competition favourite and Burgraaf’s Dutch team mate Joey BAAN who between them won the team prize for Holland for a fourth year in a row, whilst host nation Switzerland got second and Germany third.
The competition, organised by the International Butcher Confederation is respected and regarded as the most important competition for 18-23 year old apprentice butchers in Europe and throughout the world.
