Holbeach butcher Ben Tindale crowned second best in the world at a prestigious competition
There was never any doubt he is a cut above, but now butcher Ben Tindale has been crowned second best in the world at a prestigious international butchery competition.
Ben, 35, manager at G Shearer & Son, in Holbeach, secured the accolade at the World Butcher Wars, held at Ascot Racecourse, in Berkshire, last month, where he was one of 24 butchers vying for the much-coveted title.
Ben narrowly missed out on the ultimate prize, which went to Australian butcher Brett Laws, but is delighted with his podium finish.
Speaking afterwards he said: “I’m still not sure how I feel about it – it’s all quite surreal, especially when you consider that I was competing alongside the best of the best!
“It’s like a mini-Olympics event. With it being on home ground I went in there with the view that I hadn’t done the travelling some of the other competitors had, so there was an expectation I had to bring my A-game.
“The butcher who won was the favourite, so now I’m going to have to take a trip over to Australia and try and beat him next year! It was a wonderful experience especially as some of the team from Shearers and my mum were there to support me.”
Ben, who is also a member of Team GB which is due to compete at the World Butchers’ Challenge, in Paris, next year, was tasked with preparing a side of lamb and pork middle (loin and belly) for the contest. He and his fellow competitors were given 30 minutes to turn them into a showstopping display and were marked on their speed, technique, theme and final display.
“That’s the first time I’ve competed in Butchers Wars - it’s arguably the toughest competition I’ve done as you’re going up against the best.
“Competing is very different to shop work; you cannot recreate that pressure or the amount of scrutiny you are under – but I really do enjoy it!” added Ben.
As well as preparations for next year’s trip to Paris as part of Team GB, Ben has also been securing success in other competitions too. Paired with a butcher from South Downs Butchers, in West Sussex, he placed in the top three in the Battle of the Butchers, a national competition held during the Great Yorkshire Show, in Harrogate.
He was also part of a four-strong team which has just returned from the World Barbecue Championships, in Stuttgart, Germany. Ben says the team went in as an underdog having never competed before, but finished in a very respectable 29 th place out of 106 teams, as well as securing a top five placing for its traditional roast beef cooked on a barbecue.
