Local butcher Brad Gillespie is set to compete at the World Butchers' Challenge, held at the Golden 1 Centre in Sacramento, California, on September 2-3.
The Golden 1 Centre is an NBA stadium that the Sacramento Kings play in, and the competition is set to draw a large audience. "This is going to be unlike anything I have ever done before," says Brad.
He is representing New Zealand in the World Champion Young Butcher event - which Brad says is a "curtain raiser for the World Butchers' Challenge, who compete the next day as a team".
This is a butchery competition of epic proportions featuring butchers from throughout the globe, and with 14 countries battling it out for the title of the world's best, it's often referred to as the "Olympics of Meat".
"We are going to be going head to head with some of the best butchers in the work, which is very exciting," says Brad.
The challenge for Brad is to cut up, add value and display half a lamb, a pork loin with the belly on, a beef rump and two chickens. Judges will be looking at the contestant's speed, hygiene and safety, creativity, quality of the cuts, final display and cooking knowledge.
Brad grew up in Kihikihi and attended Te Awamutu College.
"I did not want to be a butcher, because my dad was a butcher.
"But I was working at McDonald's and I had enough of that, so I asked Dad for a job and he said 'only if I do a butchery apprenticeship'; I wasn't too keen - but I did it and I've never looked back," says Brad.
Through his apprenticeship, he discovered he had a passion for the work.
"I did not think I would enjoy it, but with all the different things you can do, I became really keen on it," says Brad.
Brad was given this opportunity to represent New Zealand after winning the National Butchery Competitions. He has competed for the past six years, and in the past four years, he has made it into the grand finals.
Brad was runner-up in 2019 and 2020, this cemented his place on the New Zealand team.
Brad lives in Te Awamutu and works at New World Rototuna. Working there has opened him up to new challenges and wider skill set.
"I have been practising a lot, I just want to put it all out on the table."
New World Rototuna has been immensely supportive of Brad through this journey. "The meat that is used for practising for the competition is sold at New World, so my boss is happy for me to practise while I am at work."
In this year's upcoming national competition, Brad will be working alongside William Nicholas who works for Expleo Butchery in Te Awamutu, and Chris, one of his butcher apprentices from New World Rototuna. This will be Will's first time competing.
For those looking to follow Brad's competition, updates will be posted to the Retail Meat New Zealand Facebook page.
