AUSSIE MEAT ACADEMY ULTIMATE BUTCHERS' CHALLENGE

 

EZ Meat (Taiwan) emerged as the Grand Champion Butcher, walking away with cash prize of RM2,000, a trophy and award certificate. The team also won Most Innovative Meat Display & Presentation at the Aussie Meat Academy Ultimate Butchers Challenge held recently.

Aimed at advancing the butchery profession by enhancing participants' expertise in meat knowledge, cutting techniques, and essential cooking skills, the Aussie Meat Academy 'Ultimate Butchers Challenge’ is geared towards uplifting professional butchery standards and to reinvigorate and grow the profession in Malaysia.

Supported by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and Investment New South Wales, the competition also sets a new platform to promote the butchery profession and professionalism in support of the foodservice and retail industry.

 
Professional butchery is more than cutting meat; it also showcases the butcher’s skill in deboning, portioning, displaying creative and practical applications, reducing wastage and increasing yields.

A strong butcher’s resume includes cutting and de-boning meat, preparing displays, weighing and labelling products, reducing waste, and increasing yields. In addition, a competent butcher should be familiar with all beef and lamb cuts for various cooking methods and share this knowledge with customers. Precision cutting skill also helps maximise yield, minimise waste, and improve eating quality for shoppers.

Hosted at UCSI University, a total of 16 teams from Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia competed in the event. Participating butchers are from the 40 years old and below age group with at least a year’s professional experience. 

Each two member team comprised of at least one professional butcher. Teams had to work on one chilled Australian beef and one Australian lamb for judging and tasting.

 

 
Khairul Anuar Muhamad who’s a Lambassador and Senior Lecturer II at Taylor’s Culinary Institute, Faculty of Social Sciences and Leisure Management was the Head Judge for the Ultimate Butchers Challenge 2025.

 
Other judges included Adrian Chong, Aussie Beef Mate and Executive Chef of Hyatt Regency Kinabalu; Ridzwan Rasit, Lambassador and Executive Sous Chef, Hilton Kuala Lumpur; Eric Siew, Lambassador and Owner/Executive Chef of ABANICO Your Deli Restaurant; and Richard Tay, Aussie Beef Mate and Head Chef at CALIA, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

First runner-up of the Ultimate Butchers Challenge was Central Food Wholesale Ltd (Thailand). The team received RM1,000 along with a trophy and award certificates while second runner-up, Butcher Box Pte Ltd (Singapore), bagged RM800, a trophy and award certificates.

There were also RM200 cash prizes each for Best Meat Display Ideas, Best Value Added Meat Ideas, Best Ultimate Tasting Dish and Best Presented Dish. 

TEENAGE BARISTA BREWS UP SUCCESS

(left-right) President of the 2017 Specialty Coffee Brewers K.O. Tournament Albert Lou, Lightbox, Lightgrey Creative Director JJ How, First prize winner Jeffrey Ang, Head Judge Yip Leong Sum and Vice President of the 2017 Specialty Coffee Brewers K.O. Tournament Junior Lee

A 16-year old Chief Barista from Bukit Mertajam, Penang was crowned champion at the 2017 Specialty Coffee Brewers K.O. Tournament recently. Organised by The Storyz at Lightbox, Sungai Buloh, Jeffrey Ang scored 50 out of 72 points, earning himself the First Prize of RM6,000 in cash and a unique 3D trophy in the 2017 Specialty Coffee Brewers K.O. Tournament.

Having chalked up experience at his family owned Coffee Story café as the Chief Barista, Ang had some anxious moments when he accidentally broke his glass V60 dripper, an essential coffee-brewing equipment but the cool teen managed to borrow his friend’s ceramic V60 dripper. Banking on his own experience, Ang went on to brew the best coffee and claim the big prize.

A group of 3 sensory judges carrying out a blind test to assess coffee based on flavour, sweetness, acidity and overall experience.

Chief Judge and coffee bean sponsor for the tournament Yip Leong Sum from Beans Depot said Ang managed to bring out the highest intensity of flavour, acidity and sweetness of the coffee. “I am impressed and amazed the contestants were able to handle the coffee after 30 minutes of practice and to showcase the unique characteristics of the Panama Geisha coffee. This proves the brewing skills of this generation of coffee brewers shouldn’t be ignored.”

Lightbox, Lightgrey Creative Director JJ How with 2nd prize winner Cecillia Lau Zhi Yan, Vice President of the 2017 Specialty Coffee Brewers K.O. Tournament Junior Lee and President Albert Lou.

JWC’s Cecillia Lau Zhi Yan nabbed the second prize with just 7 marks short of the champion. Munirah Shafee from Didie’s Kitchen and Coffee in Setapak only had 3-month experience but emerged admirably in third place with 39 marks.

Vice President of the 2017 Specialty Coffee Brewers K.O. Tournament Junior Lee and President Albert Lou, Lightbox, Lightgrey Creative Director JJ How, 3rd prize winner Munirah Shafee and Head Judge Yip Leong Sum.

Another home brewer Khairul Anuar Alias was the fourth prize winner with 1 mark behind her, a testament to the ability of amateurs who can brew good coffee. Kelvin Toh Wei Kang from Tipsy Brew O’Coffee and Wong Jo Ying from Littlepeople Café came in fifth and sixth respectively. All winners received cash prizes and a special 3D trophy each while 12 consolation prize winners received a gift sponsored by Dankoff Coffee Specialist.

The objective of the competition is to promote the culture of specialty coffee brewing and to enable coffee brewers to interact and share knowledge. There were 72 competitors, mostly from Malaysia (69), one from Australia and two from Myanmar.

Besides Barista Guild Asia sponsoring the lucky draw prizes, the event sponsors include official radio stations CITYPlus FM and Kupikupi FM, official online media Cari.com.my and the local media fraternity for their collaboration.