Cutting a path to Oz

An Onehunga man and his mates are ready to give the Aussies a lesson in the art of butchery, reports Christoph Vogel.

It's instantly cold once we pass through the doorway. Really cold. Probably it's the view of meat hanging from the ceiling, pinned on iron hooks, that inspires the chill. But there's nothing to be afraid of. In the end it's just another butchery.
Onehunga resident Peter Martin has been a butcher for more than two decades and is in a team of New Zealand's five best butchers who will compete against Australian butchers next month.
Two weeks ago, Retail Meat New Zealand held a trial in Auckland to select the finalists. Two teams, each with five butchers, competed under transtasman rules. They had 90 minutes.
"Two guys did the breaking and boning of the side of beef and the sheep, two guys did the traying, gourmet and displaying. I was in the middle," says Mr Martin, who works at the Mad Butcher Onehunga.
The teams did exactly as they will do at the test match in Christchurch*. Mr Martin's job is to slice, trim and - equally important - communicate.
The butchers will be judged on several criteria.
"There are all sorts of aspects: hygiene and safety foremost," Mr Martin says. And when you're processing, how you're doing it neatly, with the maximum yield of meat and minimal waste. Then, how well are they presented and also their cookability," says Mr Martin.
To be in the team is a great achievement for him, and he's far from complacent about the competition. "I'm excited to be involved in it. It's going to be quite a challenge and I have a competitive nature." Mr Martin ranks the Australian side as very tough, skilled opponents, so it will be essential to boost the team spirit among the Kiwi butchers. As all five are professionals, it will be about fine-tuning. "We'll have one more practice run, probably here in Auckland, and then another one two days out from the competition in Christchurch."
The competition is not only a big opportunity for him as a butcher, but an excellent promotion for the whole trade.
"We have often been thought of as a simple, unskilful occupation. But my team-mates that were at this trial, they're excellent, excellent butchers. And it takes a lot of time and effort to develop skill at our trade," says Mr Martin, who employs 13 people at his store.
"Probably the most difficult thing in retail today is being innovative and thinking of what's the next thing that can stimulate a dollar out of your customer's pocket."
Gerry Hogan, of Retail Meat New Zealand, says that although no cooking is involved whatever the teams create is up to them.
"There are no guidelines that say what you have to do. It's up to the individual teams," he says.
The winning team will be awarded a trophy, although there's more to gain.
"The contest is actually to promote the skill and the knowledge that butchers have."
The other four members of the New Zealand team are: Calum Sutherland (Rotorua), Bruce van der Net (Auckland), Marcus Waldman (Palmerston North) and Corey Winder (Christchurch).
Meat your match
The match between New Zealand and Australia will be staged in conjunction with the
Retail Meat Industry Conference in Christchurch on March 25.
* Editor's note: Following the catastrophic aftershocks in Christchurch, the meat industry conference has been moved to Terrace Downs, about 50 minutes inland from Christchurch. Gerry Hogan of Retail Meat NZ says: "This venue looks to be of a very high standard and allows us to keep the conference in the Canterbury region and means delegates who've already booked don't need to change their flights."