The knives are out at Butcher Wars as Scotland’s best go head-to-head
Competition brings a touch of razzamatazz to Scottish Craft Butchers trade fair to showcase skills and talent
Some of Scotland’s best butchers will battle it out next month when they go head to head in a new competition at one of the country’s top craft events.
Sponsored by Scotch Lamb PGI, the first ever Scottish Butcher Wars competition will take place at the Scottish Craft Butchers trade fair on 12 May in Perth and will see the entrants enter the competition in two categories – singles and pairs.
To create added theatre, excitement and crowd participation, the butchers will enter the competition area through a tunnel to their choice of rousing music.
Competitors will have 45 minutes to break down a half saddle of Specially Selected Pork and a half Scotch lamb and create a “showstopping display”.
The event, which aims to showcase the skills, talent and innovation of Scottish butchers, will be judged by three experts who will mark to a strict criteria including butcher appearance, final appearance of display, creativity, technique speed (butchery skills), wastage and food safety and health and safety. The singles winner will earn £500 and the overall winners of the pairs category will win £250 each.
Graeme Sharp, Quality Meat Scotland’s Scotch Butchers Club manager is in no doubt that there will be fierce competition.
He said: “Butcher Wars pitches some of Scotland’s best against each other, testing their skills and ability in a highly pressurised environment.
“Scottish butchers are passionate about providing their customers with the best possible locallysourced meat so it is very fitting that the butchers will be showcasing their talent by using Specially Selected Pork and Scotch Lamb – brands which are underpinned by quality assurance and high welfare standards.”
Douglas Scott, chief executive of Scottish Craft Butchers, which is running the event, said: “The concept has really caught the imagination of the industry and we expect to attract a large audience.
“The competition will highlight the special skills that create such a significant difference when customers shop at a craft butchers where they are guaranteed great customer service as well as second-to-none product knowledge.”