The board created to secure the UK’s entry into the World Butchers Challenge (WBC) 2025 competition has appointed Master Butcher, Simon Taylor (M.Inst.M) to manage the UK Lions Squad in their quest for success in Paris next March.
As previous captain of the team that competed in the 2022 World Butchers Challenge in Sacramento, Taylor was a unanimous choice. Having also competed in the 2018 WBC he has an invaluable understanding of the format and judging criteria for the competition, as well as of the standard required. Following the 2022 WBC he was also named captain of the ‘World Butcher’s Challenge All Star Team’, selected by the WBC judges for ‘displaying standout leadership, innovation and teamwork.’
In addition to competitive butchery and running two successful butchers shops, Taylor is also a regular presenter at Taste of London, Pub in the Park and the Big Feastival, so is no stranger to performing under pressure. He had planned to try out for the UK Lions Squad himself until confronted earlier this year with a diagnosis of prostate cancer. Happily now in recovery, Taylor says that managing the team will be “an honour and the next best thing to competing myself.”
The team manager role is a new position and testimony to the commitment of the Team GB board and sponsors - something that Taylor is immensely grateful for: “Having such strong backing from the board and our meat industry sponsors provides a solid foundation not just for the 2025 team but also for any future teams representing the UK. The World Butchers Challenge is the pinnacle of butchery competitions. Seeing people from their own country competing on a worldwide stage gives British butchery the limelight it deserves and will be inspirational for future generations of butchers.’”
With the competition just four months away the intensity of training is now moving up a gear. The most recent practice session was held at Plumpton College’s butchery school in October. Over the course of the three day session the squad were divided into competing ‘teams’ for the Apprentice, Young Butcher and WBC core team categories. They were given competition specification meat and poultry and for the first time required to work under strict competition conditions and timings. Recreating what Taylor describes as the ‘pressure cooker’ WBC environment will be crucial to helping manage nerves for the real thing in March, he said.
Simon Coles, chair of Team GB board and group sales manager of The Dalesman Group, attended the training and added: “It’s a real eye opener how fast the time goes when you’re working under those conditions.”
With the next practice session already planned for January, team manager Taylor sees his role ahead of the competition quite simply as: “Making sure everyone is ready for the World Butchers Challenge and believes in themselves. The UK Lions Squad are all fantastic butchers – there’s absolutely no shortage of skill there. I’m here to bring it out of them and to help put them in a position to perform at their very best. That’s what I intend to do.”
