In the wake of the success from last year’s competition when Walter Smith’s Chris Riley became Premier Young Butcher 2014 appetites have been wetted with applications coming in from girls as well as boys looking to take the Premier Young Butcher 2015 crown at Meatup in 2015!
Already in the running to compete at MeatUp at the National Agricultural Centre of Excellence at Stoneleigh this summer is Lucy Cranshaw of Taylors Farm Shop in Lancashire. Lucy holds a diploma in Countryside Management and is currently a level two apprentice with Meat Ipswich who has worked at Taylors for four years.
Her duties include setting up the counter and prepping and developing products at the Lathom farm shop.
Also challenging is level two apprentice at Leeds City College George Clapham from Far Barsey Farm Shop near Halifax in Yorkshire that competed in the Dalziel Young Butcher Competition in Leeds last September. George has catering experience and with the rest of the team at the Calderdale shop proves a hit with customers.
Girl number two competing is Tara Davies of Gog Magog in Cambridgeshire. Tara is a level two apprentice with Meat Ipswich and a 2014 Meat Trades Journal Young Butcher Finalist. Leaving school at eighteen and following a brief spell at Harper Adams University and Bourton’s butchers in Saffron Walden. Twenty year old Tara went on to join Gog Magog in the Cafe’ before becoming a valued member of the butchery team.
Applicant number four is Matthew Lewis of Blacker Hall Farm Shop in Wakefield, Yorkshire who was attracted to the trade at age fourteen as a Saturday boy. Following a two year apprenticeship at Cannon Hall Farm Shop Matt became a chef while taking a Cookery level two course at Barnsley College. Now in his second year at Leeds City College, at twenty three Matt has had extensive experience working in pubs and restaurants and finished Runner Up in the Dalziel Young Butcher Competition in Leeds last year.
Finally, Joe Smith at Lishman’s of Ilkley in North Yorkshire competed in the Q Guild Butchery Competition at MeatUp two years ago. At age seventeen Joe completed a full time Meat and Poultry course and at twenty one won the Dalziel Young Butcher Competition last September. Joe is currently Assistant Shop Manager at Lishman’s and a level three apprentice at Leeds City College.
The competition is open to 18 to 23 year olds and contestants are judged for products in six categories as well as for good working practices, innovation and skill. And with tight time constraints during the five plus hours of competition the pressure is piled on at every stage.
The closing date for applicants is Monday 2nd of February 2015 with competition guidelines and application forms available from info@nfmft.co.uk titled PYBC.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
