Thirteen national teams competed in the last World Butchers’ Challenge in California
As part of their preparations towards representing Australia in the 2025 World Butchers Challenge in France next year, the nation’s crack team of retail butchers will showcase their skills during a range of events at Beef 2024 in Rockhampton next month.
The Makani Australian Butchery Team, comprising six experienced butchers and two apprentices, will represent Australia during next year’s ‘Butchery Olympics’ in Paris.
The Australian team ran a close second to ultimate world champions Germany at the last World Butchers Challenge held in Sacramento California in 2022. Thirteen national teams had three hours to turn a side of beef, a side of pork, a whole lamb carcase and five chickens into a themed display of value-added cuts, requiring superior knife skills, value adding flair and presentation smarts.
All injected their own creativity and innovation into the final presentation. Click here to read an account of the team’s 2022 World Butchers Challenge experience:
Representing the Australian team in various events at Beef 2024 will be gun tradesmen Garreth Gorenge, Brett Laws, Craig Munro, Tom Bouchier, Troy Wheeler, Luke Leyson and Gary Thompson.
The team members will use Rockhampton as a warm-up session, as well as a friendly competition showdown. As well as twice daily demonstrations in the Beef 2024 Demo kitchen in the Walter Pierce pavilion, the team will host a World Butchers Challenge Dinner on Friday, 10 May.
Here’s the team’s itinerary during Beef 2024:
Greatest Beef Banger Competition
Kickstart your week at Beef2024 with the greatest beef banger competition that Beef Australia has ever seen. This isn’t just any event; it’s your ticket to being part of the Teams’ flavour-packed journey to France.
The National butchery team has carefully crafted four uniquely flavoured sausage formulas including the ‘Bronco beef and onion banger’, the ‘Smack rod beef and crispy chili banger’, the ‘Bloody Mary banger’ and the ‘ Drunken drover beef banger’. The team needs the audience to taste, judge, and vote for the banger that truly stands out from the rest.
The winning banger will then carry the hopes and dreams of the Australian team as they take it all the way to the prestigious 2025 World Butchers Challenge in France.
Date: Monday, 6 May 2024
Time: Noon-12.45pm
Venue: Ergon Network Stage
This is a free event with a General Admission ticket but limited to 150 participants so book a spot to get in on the action. Tickets limited to four per person
The Australian team after their runners-up placing at the last World Butchers’ Challenge in California
Beef Cutting Demos
Catch Garreth Gorringe and Brett Laws in the Beef Australia Demo Kitchen for an entertaining demo breaking down a side of beef and preparing and presenting cuts in an attractive retail display.
Date: Monday, 6 May
Time: 9-9.45am & 3-3.45pm
Venue: Demo Kitchen Price: Free
Knuckle Sandwich Challenge
Watch Craig Munro and Tom Bouchier go head to head in the Beef Australia Demo Kitchen as they battle it out for the title as best knuckle beef sandwich creator and champion.
Date: Tuesday, 7 May
Time: 9-9.45am & 3-3.45pm
Venue: Demo Kitchen Price: Free
Butchers’ Best Beef Bangers
Join Troy Wheeler and Luke Leyson in the Beef Australia Demo Kitchen as they create some tasty bangers with great flavour profiles.
Date: Wednesday, 8 May
Time: 9-9.45am & 3-3.45pm
Venue: Demo Kitchen Price: Free
Making Mince Great Again
Watch Gary Thompson and Brett Laws in the Beef Australia Demo Kitchen as they make mince great again with some new creative beef mince ideas.
Date: Thursday, 9 May
Time: 9-9.45am & 3-3.45pm
Venue: Demo Kitchen Price: Free
The Perfect Steak Does Exist
Catch Luke Leyson and Garreth Gorringe in the Beef Australia Demo Kitchen for a butchery demonstration before cooking up the perfect steak, the butchers way.
Date: Friday, 10 May
Time: 9-9.45am & 1.30-2.15pm
Venue: Demo Kitchen Price: Free
World Butchers’ Challenge Dinner
Get ready for a thrilling night as the Makani Australian Butcher Team go head to head in a pulse-pounding preview of the spectacular event that awaits in France at the upcoming 2025 World Butchers’ Competition, live and onstage as you enjoy a French inspired dinner.
It’s a battle of skill, precision, and camaraderie, showcasing the cutting-edge talents that will soon take the global stage.
Date: Friday, 10 May
Time: 7–10.30pm
Venue: The Stadium
Price: $225 + online booking fee
Great article and I agree about Shannon and his hard work and passion, but no mention just a photo of the world champion apprentice from Australia
This is a great story and such a wonderful positive promotion of butcher as a skill trade. You should do a follow up story on the man behind the competition team who is Shannon Walker. He is the best ambassador for butchers world over. He created the Butcher wars competition that goes all over Australia and now internationally. This year alone they are holding Butcher Wars in Brazil, Germany, Royal Ascot in UK, New Zealand. Shannon’s enthusiam is endless and this shows in te industry support he receives. Shannon really is another great story in his own right.
Thanks for the tip, Fiona. We’ll track Shannon down when we get some time. Editor