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Over one hundred guests gathered today in Butchers Hall to applaud the achievements of butchery apprentices, their employers and training providers at the IoM/WCB Annual Prizegiving.

Though the meat industry is age-old this years’ prizegiving proved that attitudes certainly aren’t – as more than half of the apprentice winners this year were women.

Presiding over this prestigious event was Institute of Meat Chief Executive, Keith Fisher (F.Inst.M), with current Master of the Worshipful Company of Butchers, Andrew Parker, presenting the awards.

The twelve category winners were:

The category winners each received a cheque for £250, a framed certificate and a years free membership of the Institute of Meat.

The overall winner, ‘Champion Meat Apprentice of the Year’, Mia Tamburrini, received a winners trophy and certificate, a years free membership of the IoM plus an additional cash prize of £500.

Champion Meat Apprentice Mia Tamburrini receiving her award from The Master, Andrew Parker

Commenting on the event and winners Keith Fisher said,

‘It gives me great pleasure to receive so many nominations, and read about so many talented young people, especially at a time when our industry is being tested yet again. Like the meat industry, our winners will need to be resilient in the years ahead. Today’s award, when combined with hard work and determination, could be the springboard to many future successes.’

Five highly skilled butchers were also recognised on the day by being awarded Institute of Meat accredited Master Butcher status. They received their awards from Institute of Meat Chairman, Bill Jermey, who first developed the IoM Master Butcher accreditation as a means of recognising excellence in the field of butchery skills and knowledge.

They were:

Fellows and Master Butchers

When asked about the Institute of Meat Master Butcher accreditation Bill Jermey said,

‘Butchers applying for Master Butcher accreditation are serious about their craft. They submit themselves to a rigorous four-stage assessment process, during which they must impress not only the Institute of Meat but also independent moderators. Taking months from start to finish it is not for the faint hearted, but the Master Butchers recognised today are all deserving of the title. I heartily congratulate them.’

Other awards given during the prizegiving were: Best Company Training Scheme, which went to Cranstons, and Best Meat Training Provider, collected by Crosby Butchery Training. ABP Commercial Manager, Dave Smith, was awarded ‘Fellow’ of the Institute of Meat and lastly, outgoing ftc Board Chairman, John Proctor, was given an Honorary Fellowship.

For more information about the prize-giving or how to nominate an apprentice, please contact Sheryl Horne at the Institute of Meat, info@instituteofmeat.org

Product entries by the hundred have been arriving at the Regional Food Academy test kitchens, located at Harper Adams University, Shropshire, where this year’s product judging for the Meat Management Industry Awards is underway.

A massive and diverse range of products have been delivered by companies large and small from right across the industry. The panel of judges headed up by Keith Fisher, the CEO of the Institute of Meat, has now started the process of evaluating entries.

The results will be revealed later this year at the popular ceremony scheduled for 15th September at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole, when Britain’s biggest event of its type for the meat industry will bring together guests and awards partners to celebrate the best of the best.

Head judge Keith Fisher said: “As usual the range and diversity of products, and the companies and top brands that have entered is amazing and we have a very busy and exciting few days in prospect. These awards always stand out for the scope of what they cover and the substantial support the initiative attracts. The innovation and range is great to see and I look forward to joining colleagues, plus the finalists and winners at the awards ceremony later this year. An event that should not be missed.

I understand that the team of home economists responsible for cooking and preparing entries prior to judging have reported a very high standard of entry, which indicates a big job in prospect for those preparing the products in the kitchens and for the judges over the coming days.”

Sharon Yandell, the lead organiser for the MM Meat Industry Awards said: “I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to enter. The industry faces a variety of logistical problems right now and at such a busy period, and with pressure on staffing for many companies, it is not always easy to find the time. However, despite the problems we have a fantastic range of products to evaluate once again.  “We are really looking forward to the next awards ceremony taking place on 15th September. We had a very special evening back in September last year and great support. With demand for tickets and tables likely to be high, I recommend an early visit to the website to reserve places for the September ceremony and to take advantage of an early bird booking discount.”

Click here for ticket information.

All commercial partnerships have already been taken for 2022 so for details of how to become a partner for the MM Meat Industry Awards in 2023 email Michelle Ingerfield: michelle.i@yandellmedia.com

After COVID forced last years event to be cancelled, today the IoM and the WCB were finally able to celebrate and thank some outstanding members of the meat industry at their prestigious Annual Awards and prize-giving luncheon in  the Butchers’ Hall.

Despite some sections being hit hard by COVID 19, the meat industry worked relentlessly throughout the pandemic to serve local communities and the wider British public.

It was then a fitting tribute and an honour to welcome a very special guest this year, HRH The Princess Royal, Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Butchers and Fellow of the Institute of Meat.

Bill Jermey, Keith Fisher and Margaret Boanas welcoming HRH The Princess Royal to The Butchers’ Hall

Over a hundred guests gathered in the Livery Hall to see apprentices, training providers and employers receive their awards, presented by Her Royal Highness and Keith Fisher (F.Inst.M), Chief Executive of the Institute of Meat.

Also presiding over the awards was Margaret Boanas, Master of the Worshipful Company since September 2021 and following in HRH The Princess Royal’s footsteps as one of only three women to have held this post.

In total 12 awards were given. The awards and winners were:

The category winners each received a cheque for £250, a framed certificate and a years free membership of the Institute of Meat.

The overall winner, ‘Champion Meat Apprentice of the Year’, Austin Howell of Priory Farm Shop, Redhill, Surrey, received a winner’s trophy and certificate, a year’s free membership of the IoM and an additional cash prize of £500. Howell impressed the judges with how quickly he had progressed from being a young apprentice to taking the first step on the management ladder with his employer.

Austin Howell receiving Champion Meat Apprentice of the Year Award from HRH The Princess Royal

Also celebrated on the day was the awarding of seven new Institute of Meat accredited Master Butchers. In the last three decades of the awards less than 60 butchers have been awarded accredited Master Butcher status as the awarding criteria is rigorous and applications are invited only from very experienced and skilful butchers. The new IoM Master Butchers are:

Marc Murphy (MB.Inst.M) – Dunbia Group

Jason Moore (MB.Inst.M) – Newlyn’s Farm Shop, Hook

Peter Howarth (MB.Inst.M) – Booker Group

Kevin King (MB.Inst.M) – Booker Group

Roy Mason (MB.Inst.M) – Booker Group

Roderick Frew (MB.Inst.M) – Barr’s Butchers, Ballymena

John Mutch (MB.Inst.M) – Cutting Edge Services, Chorley

Master of the Worshipful Company, Margaret Boanas, was also awarded a Fellowship of the Institute of Meat on the day, and Food Hygiene Consultant, Paul Bache MBE, became a Honorary Fellow.

Commenting on the day, Fisher said,

‘It’s wonderful to be back and to be able to recognise the achievements of so many talented individuals. It has been an incredibly tough two years, everyone involved in the meat industry has worked harder than ever before.

The awards are of course about celebrating success, but the Institute of Meat is also about fellowship. This is especially important in the hard times we’ve had recently and we’re all looking forward to a brighter year ahead, including the happy occasion of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.’

Chairman of the Institute of Meat, Bill Jermey added,

‘I’ve been involved with the prize-giving for many years, but it has never felt more important to acknowledge and reward achievement. These apprentices really stepped up to the plate in unprecedented times. I’m especially delighted that HRH The Princess Royal joined us to congratulate them.’

Award winners, Master Butchers and Fellows – The Butchers’ Hall 24th February 2022

For more information about the prize-giving, or how to nominate an apprentice please contact Sheryl Horne at the Institute of Meat, info@instituteofmeat.org

Winners of the British Charcuterie Live Awards 2020/21 announced

It proved an outstanding year in spite of the challenges British Charcuterie Producers are facing. With over 100 producers entering more than 300 products into the nine classes, the judges were struck by the exceptional quality and range.

For more details on winners, please click on the link below:

http://us17.forward-to-friend.com/forward/preview?u=e8003f51fb9883eb95eb6de88&id=cd902d4eca

Lockdown for England, recently announced by the Government, has impacted on the product judging arrangements for the popular FMT Food Industry Awards, which were due to take place at the Regional Food Academy test kitchens later in November.

Harper Adams Regional Food Academy has confirmed that the test kitchens will temporarily close during the lockdown period.

New dates for product judging have already been confirmed for later in January 2021 and in the circumstances the product nomination deadline has also been extended to 11th January 2021. With a new deadline available, organisers confirm that additional product nominations are still welcome and that all those who have already nominated products have been informed about the new delivery dates.

Commenting on the news, lead organiser for the Food Industry Awards, Sharon Yandell said: “We have a record level of entries and we are set for a truly fantastic ceremony next year when winners are announced. The initiative goes from strength to strength.

“Of course, this is disappointing and frustrating. However, in considering new dates we have decided not to clash with the build up to Christmas in December, a very busy time for the industry, so have moved product judging into January. This still leaves plenty of time for administration prior to the ceremony scheduled for May, when all the results will be announced.”

To enter products, go to www.foodmanagement.today/awards/ or for more information contact Sharon Yandell.

For more information on the Food Management Today Industry Awards visit their website

Butcher Robert Darling, who works at Turnbull’s of Alnwick, has been crowned Young Butcher of the Year in Q Guild Butchers 2020 Smithfield ‘Star’ Awards.

The 18-year-old becomes the inaugural winner of the coveted title, sponsored by the Institute of Meat, open to all aged under 24 and introduced for the first time this year to both recognise and reward the industry’s rising stars. Part of the brief was that nominees must have developed a product sold in the shop

Rob’s own product, which had first picked up a best in category Diamond award, was Pork Wellington, described as a twist on the traditional Wellington using a pork cannon, butterflied open and stuffed with chorizo and morcilla, with the pork rolled back up as a roulade. It is encased in puff pastry lightly brushed with seasoned oil. The up-and-coming young butcher even developed the cooking guidelines at home.

Judges were mightily impressed, describing Rob as a considerable asset to Turnbull’s. They noted: “This type of experience will prove invaluable as he progresses through his career, which is looking very bright. His attention to detail was evident in the Pork Wellington he produced. It was technically excellent and performed well when cooked. The judges really loved the taste and the added chorizo and morcilla. Well done.”

 Rob joined Turnbull’s as an apprentice butcher in May last year at a time of major expansion for the business, with its long-established family-run shop in Market Street recently supplemented by a brand-new custom-designed Northumbrian Food Hall on Willowburn Retail Park. There is also a standalone factory cutting plant, where all of the raw meat production takes place.

Owner Mark Turnbull, a former Q Guild Butchers national chairman, said: “In the short time Rob has been with us, the business has evolved arguably more than at any other point than in the previous 140 years we have been trading. He has met the changes superbly and with a terrific attitude.

“He has worked across all three of our sites and excelled at each. He is predominantly based at the cutting plant, where we are developing his knife skills, having him working on pork, lamb and beef whole carcasses. He has a great level of confidence and competence when he is set a task.

“Rob has also worked in both shops, setting counters, serving customers and preparing kitchen ready products. He shows great promise with his attention to detail and we were very pleased with his innovation for Young Butcher of the Year.

“We have tried the product in both shops and it has sold extremely well, and customers have provided some marvellous feedback. We are extremely pleased with how Rob has progressed since starting and we see a very bright future for a young man who takes a lot of pride and pleasure in his work -a real future star!”

Rob himself commented: “I am very pleased to have been asked to develop products, particularly for the Smithfield Star Awards, I feel that I have really settled into the job and that I have found a craft that I have a great deal of passion for.”

Sponsor, the Institute of Meat, will give Rob 1 year’s free membership, entitling him to join an important asset to the meat industry who’s aim is to help educate and promote young butchers. He also receives a Diamond Award framed certificate, a wooden ‘meat’ chopping board, steak knife and Q Guild apron.

For the first time this year, the revamped Smithfield ‘Star’ Awards had a brand-new star rating system through which 3***, 2** or 1* certificates were awarded to products achieving a set standard. Diamond awards are then achieved by pitching all the 3*** products against each other to find the ‘Category Champion’.

In fact, Turnbull’s Butchers achieved four product awards in total, including two further 3*** and a category finalist*. The other awards were:

From 220 individual products entered from 29 Q Guild butchers across the length and breadth of the country, a total of 73 achieved 3***, 52 2** and 44 1*, They were judged blind by an independent panel of food and meat sector experts headed up by Institute of Meat Chief Executive Keith Fisher

Butchers Q Guild General Manager Claire Holland said: “These awards are a great way of showcasing our members and their achievements. They work really hard to develop outstanding products and to keep up with consumer trends therefore to have it topped off with an industry judged accolade is the icing on the cake, for which they should be very proud.”

Lishman’s Butchers in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, were crowned the overall 2020 Smithfield ‘Star’ Awards supreme champion with their Chilli Cheese Dogs, first chosen as the best product in the Innovative Sausage category.

Smithfield ‘Star’ Award sponsors were Lucas Ingredients, Dalziel, Innovative Food Ingredients, British Charcuterie Live, Weddel Swift, Verstegen, Taste of Game, Scobie & Junor and Institute of Meat.