Steaks high for Laois butcher in world contest
Mark Williams from Abbeyleix (back row, right) will be on Team Ireland at the World Butchers' Challenge in Paris
A LAOIS butcher will be on the Irish team at a prestigious world contest in France at the end of March.
Mark Williams from Abbeyleix will be part of Team Ireland at the renowned World Butchers’ Challenge in Paris, marking his third time representing the nation in the highly-skilled competition.
Known for his expertise and passion for butchery, Mark is looking forward to a slice of the action against 14 other teams from across the globe, including New Zealand, Brazil, USA, Iceland and the UK.
Both the stakes and steaks will be high but the omens are promising, as Mark was part of an Irish team that previously won gold in Belfast and achieved fourth place in Sacramento.
The gruelling 3.5-hour competition will challenge butchers to cut up a side of beef, a side of pork, a full lamb and six chickens expertly. The Irish team has a strong track record, having won the coveted ‘Best Sausage in the World’ title at the 2022 competition.
Mark didn’t mince his words when he described the daunting contest as “the Olympics or the World Cup for butchers”.
He said: “We’ve been training every second Sunday for the last year and it’s an honour to represent Ireland for the third time. We’re ready to showcase the best of Irish butchery and compete against the best in the world.”
Beyond his brilliant butchery skills, Mark is also well-known for his service to the community as he drives a transplant ambulance for Lifeline.
Familiar to many locals from his years behind the counter at Williams’ Butchers in Abbeyleix, now Bob’s Butchers run by former staff member Bob Boguslaw Pitera, Mark will be joined on the team by five other talented senior butchers from around the country.
Other members of the Craft Butchers of Ireland team are Jim (Captain) and Bernadette Murphy from Tullow, Co Carlow; Paul Hamilton from Fivemiletown, Co Tyrone; James Etterson from Cabra in Dublin and Ger O’Callaghan from Leap, Co Cork.
They will be joined by apprentices Ebonie Murtagh from Northern Ireland and Leon Moore from Dublin, who are eager to learn from the best. The apprentices face a separate 1.5-hour challenge. Dave Long will manage the team, guiding them through the competition.
