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. 

TASTY AUSTRALIA SHOWCASE AT ISETAN KLCC

A total of 12 new brands with more than 80 products made their debut at Tasty Australia 2019 at Isetan KLCC, officially launched by Australian Deputy High Commissioner to Malaysia, Michael Growder (pix below).

 

 

Also present at the launch were Koji Oyama, Director/Managing Director of Isetan Malaysia (2nd from left), and Vivien Lee, Executive Director of The Model Cook (far right).

 

A collaboration between The Model Cook and Isetan Malaysia, Tasty Australia 2019 showcases the best of regional Australian food & beverage from 30 August to 11 September. It’s the sixth year Tasty Australia has been held in Kuala Lumpur.

 

Vivien Lee said: “Our passion is to promote healthy eating by offering GMO-free and healthier alternative food with real health benefits.  We always strive to ensure the healthier food alternatives present its value for money and nutritional content in the actual products themselves.”

 

 

Apart from The Model Cook’s traditional best-selling 25 brands from South Australia, Tasty Australia 2019 highlights primarily food, drinks, products and brands from South Australia and Western Australia. Most of the new brands have chosen Malaysia as their first country of export.

 

To emphasise Tasty Australia 2019’s focus on clean eating, sustainability and a conscious choice of GMO-free foods, several founders of the new brands were also at the event to meet and interact with Isetan customers, and to share their respective brand stories.

Among them were Bevan Eatts, Director of Southern Forest Flavours (top pix) who touted his high flavonoids, ready-to-eat and good-for-the-heart dried Bravo apple slices and 100% natural dehydrated fruit straps; Mei Yong, Director of Turban Chopsticks (2nd pix above) whose range of bottled Asian sauces and convenient easy-to-cook meal kits won us over within minutes; dynamic duo Elizabeth Simaliak with Issy Bilal, Founders of Nestar & Ms Sweetie Vegan Chocolates, and Kim Fewster, Founder & CEO of Fewster’s Farm Honey who promoted his indigenous Western Australia certified organic Jarrah honey.

 

Us food lovers also had a field day shopping for fine Australian products including Western Australia’s iconic superior class black Perigord truffle oil and seasonings, raw Southern Forests honey, gluten-free kettle-cooked tasty Jonny’s Popcorn Delight, gourmet vegan chocolates, 100% Australian grown quinoa, Australian produced cheeses, muesli and multi-grain cereals, biscuits, bottled drinks and wines from Australia, and even premium frozen seafood.

 

The Isetan Food Market will be bustling with activity during Tasty Australia. Besides a striking Popcorn Fountain, Tasty Australia 2019 will offer lucky draws with prizes comprising RM500 gift vouchers, food hampers and Australian souvenir giveaways with purchases.

Shoppers can also sample a selection of typical Aussie dishes like Salt Beef Sandwich, Burgers, Seafood Pasta and Fish & Chips at the Australian Gourmet pop-up restaurant from 11am to 9.30pm. Value buys of certain Australian food and beverage products especially during the one-hour “Meet the Makers” period will feature extra special buys so keep an eye out for that.

For more details on “Tasty Australia” best buys, please visit TheModelCook Facebook page.