Premier Young Butcher Competition.

Q Guild`s got Talent - Four Q Guild butchers make up the final six for Young Butcher award

Finalists of the Premier Young Butcher Competition have been announced with four young Q Guild butchers being in contention to take the title. 

The Premier Young Butcher competition is open to young butchers aged between 18 and 23, with fourteen categories in total, including Seam Butchery, Barbecue and Ready to Eat. The Premier Young Butcher 2017 will be announced on Thursday 25th May at the Meatup industry exhibition in Milton Keynes. 

Award winning Q Guild butchers Walter Smith Fine Foods are represented by two of their staff; 20 year old Thomas Lea from the Huntingdon Farm Shop, and Matthew Parkes, 22, from their Melbicks store. Assistant manager Matthew will be hoping to continue the shop`s winning streak after receiving maximum marks for their Dry Cured Streaky Bacon and Steak & Stilton Pie at the prestigious Q Guild Smithfield Awards earlier in the year.

Also representing the Midlands is 19 year old Harry Smith from Aubrey Allen, Leamington Spa. Harry started as an apprentice with Aubrey Allen in 2014, and was successful in this competition in 2015; placing 2nd in the BBQ category, and gaining 1st place for his seam butchery.

Hoping to bring the championship home to the capital is Jack Eagles, 19, of C Lidgates, one of London`s oldest family butchers with a history that spans 150 years and 5 generations. The famous Q Guild butcher and charcuterie is on Holland Park Ave. in west London.

The six is completed by James Gracey of Northern Ireland and the only female in the competition, Elsie Yardley from Halstead.