THE search is on for the best butcher in Wales.

The Welsh Butcher of the Year contest will be held on February 21 at the Welsh International Culinary Championships at Grŵp Llandeillo Menai’s Rhos-on-Sea campus.

The contest is open to any Welsh butchers over the age of 16 who are employed or studying for a qualification in a college or establishment anywhere in the world.

It is sponsored by the Culinary Association of Wales and Cambrian Training Company.

At the contest, butchers will have to complete two tasks to show their skills. These are seaming a leg and chump of pork into individual muscles – which must be done in 55 minutes – and then an hour to turn the meat into a visually exciting display of products that celebrates a special occasion of the butcher’s own choice.

They will be judged by members of Craft Butchery Team Wales – who debuted at the World Butchers’ Challenge in America last year and came in sixth.

The judges will be looking for technical skills, innovation, creativity, and a detailed description of each product created, together with cooking instructions.

The competition could also be a stepping stone for butchers into the Craft Butchery Team Wales. The team features five former winners of Welsh Butcher of the Year or Welsh Young Butcher of the Year, including captain Peter Rushforth, Matthew Edwards, Tom Jones, Dan Allen-Raftery and Craig Holly.

Arwyn Watkins, OBE, Culinary Association of Wales president and chairman of Cambrian Training Company, said: “We have decided to bring the Wales culinary and butchery competitions together for the first time at the WICC.

“This event provides the perfect platform for the best butchers in Wales of all ages to showcase their skills. It’s a huge honour to be named the best in Wales at your chosen vocation and this will be a chance to watch highly skilled butchers demonstrating their skills and meat display techniques.”

The Welsh International Culinary Championships is organised by Culinary Association of Wales and is sponsored by Food and Drink Wales, Castel Howell, Churchill, Major International, Riso Gallo, Dick Knives, MCS Tech Products, Hybu Cig Cymru/Meat Promotion Wales, Cambrian Training Company and Grŵp Llandrillo Menai.

Anyone looking to apply must enter by January 31 at https://www.culinaryassociation.wales/welsh-butcher-of-the-year-2023 with a £30 fee.

The winner will receive the title of Wales’ best butcher and a £100 cash prize. There will also be a £60 and £40 prize for the butcher who comes in second and third respectively.