Mangawhai butchers too sharp for their opposition

 

BY ROB POOLEY

It’s not unreasonable to expect an established and popular business to bask in the comfort of a small supportive community but that’s not how things work at Mangawhai Village Meat Shop.

Owner Dan Klink with years of overseas experience at his craft has always sought to make meat much more than just a meal and his ingenuity in cuts, combinations and presentation have won him several awards, the latest being just last week when he won the upper North Island competition which kick-started this year’s national Alto Butcher and ANZCO Foods Butcher Apprentice of the Year competitions. Dan is a regular in the competition and previous winner of the Upper North Island title in 2016.

Head Judge and Captain of New Zealand’s Butchery team, the Hellers Sharp Blacks, Corey Winder has been involved in the competition for 20 years now and says the skills needed to become a great butcher are ever-growing. 

“The standard of butchery today was making it really hard to judge. It came down to the finer details to select our winners. From a spectator’s point of view, you probably wouldn’t be able to split them, it could just come down to the stringing of a product, making sure the knots are even and presentable or not wearing their boning glove. Dan executed really well, he was organised, his display was clean and crisp and when you looked at the finished article you wanted to eat it. He deserves this win.”

The Upper North Island competition involved the butchers breaking down a size 16 chicken, a boneless beef rump and a full pork loin into a display of value-added products. 

As if that wasn’t sufficient reward, Dan’s apprentice Dylan Thompson also tied for first place in the Apprentice of the Year category and this after a creditable performance to reach the final last year too. “It’s amazing to win,” said Dylan. “I picked up from what I did last year and built on that, incorporating other ideas and practised every day after work, which has obviously really paid off and now I can’t wait for the final!”

“I’m absolutely ecstatic,” said Dan.” I put a lot of time and effort into practising for it. I also think having experience at other competitions gave me the confidence to try a few more technical cuts which may have given me the edge. And for my apprentice Dylan to tie for first in the ANZCO Foods Butcher Apprentice competition is amazing for a small community butchery.”

Dan was one of six butchers in his section but Dylan competed in a field if 19 apprentices.

 “In terms of the ANZCO Foods Butcher Apprentices, we were so impressed with the high standard this year amongst the apprentices.  They have really raised the bar and it was a very close competition. It’s very positive for the industry to have such talent coming through the ranks,” judge Winder commented. 

Dan and Dylan will now continue on to the Grand Final on Thursday 8 August in Auckland, where they will further showcase their cutting skills, creativity and knowledge of the trade against the best in the country.