[Paris, France. Tuesday 1 April 2025] – France has
carved its name into history, taking home gold at the ninth
World Butchers’ Challenge (WBC), held in Paris,
France.
Officially hosted by
Confédération Française de la Boucherie (CFBCT), the
event saw France’ team of six master butchers demonstrate
unparalleled craftsmanship, earning them the prestigious
Friedr. Dick Golden Knife Trophy at an awards ceremony held
at the iconic Paradis Latin in Paris on Tuesday 1
April.
Germany secured silver, while
Australia claimed bronze.
Head Judge David Lishman of
Great Britain praised the champions: “France delivered a
flawless performance, demonstrating precision, teamwork, and
innovation in every aspect of their work. Beyond their
technical excellence, they showed true passion for the
craft.”
With just over three hours on the clock,
each team transformed a side of beef, a side of pork, a
whole lamb, and five chickens into a visually stunning
display of value-added cuts. Their expertise in carving,
boning, and finishing was matched only by their creativity
and innovation.
Rising Stars and Industry
Leaders
Leading up to the main event, the prestigious
World Champion Butcher Apprentice & Young Butcher
competitions took place on Sunday, 30 March, where emerging
talent took center stage.
Nolwenn Courau
from France claimed the
Young Butcher title, while Nino
Candela from France was named
the 2025 World Champion Butcher
Apprentice.
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The All Star Team, composed of
the top six butchers from across all competing nations, was
also announced, recognizing the best of the best:
Dirk
Freyberger, GERMANY (Added Value) – CAPTAIN
Gianni
Giardina, ITALY (Breaking/Boning)
Godefroy Piaton,
FRANCE (Trimming/Slicing)
Katharina Bertl, GERMANY
(Trimming/Slicing)
Brett Laws, AUSTRALIA (Added
Value)
Paolo Desbois, FRANCE
(Displaying/Garnishing)
Celebrating Product
Excellence and Commitment to Sustainability
Beyond
the main competition, several prestigious accolades were
awarded to recognise outstanding craftsmanship and
innovation in product development.
The winners of
these awards were as follows:
WBC Devro’s World’s
Best Beef Sausage – USA, Beef Bulgogi
WBC Devro’s
World’s Best Pork Sausage – Germany, Ludwig’s Apple
Onion Brats
WBC Van Hessen’s World’s Best Gourmet
Sausage – USA, Green Chilli Sausage
WBC World’s
Best Pork Product – SPAIN, Multicolour Skewers (Pinchos
multicolour)
WBC World’s Best Lamb Product – NEW
ZEALAND, Lamb cutlets (Te Wha Nota Cutlets)
WBC
World’s Best Beef Product – BRAZIL, Meat
Acordeon
WBC World’s Best Poultry Product –
IRELAND, Chicken Italiano with pistachio, lemon pepper &
parmesan cheese
The 2025 competition introduced a new
accolade – the AG2R La Mondiale Corporate Social
Responsibility Award – celebrating the team that best
demonstrated sustainability and social responsibility in
their performance. This prestigious award was given to both
Spain and France tying for first place – in recognition of
their outstanding sportsmanship, commitment to diversity,
and dedication to health, safety, and environmental
responsibility.
A Record-Breaking Event
The
2025 World Butchers’ Challenge broke new ground, with a
record 14 nations competing and attracting over 6000
spectators – over the two day event – making it the largest
event in WBC history. This year also saw the global
expansion of its three events, welcoming new nations from
five continents, including Indonesia, Belgium, the Czech
Republic, Romania, and Spain.
The 2025 World
Butchers’ Challenge also saw a record-breaking number of
female competitors, with 19 women showcasing their skills
across the World Butchers’ Challenge, World Champion
Butcher Apprentice, and Young Butcher
competitions.
A Historic Moment in
Paris
This marks the first time the World
Butchers’ Challenge has been hosted in France, with Paris
providing an awe-inspiring backdrop for this international
showcase of butchery talent.
For more details on the
competition, including team bios and event history, visit
worldbutcherschallenge.com.
The 2025 World
Butchers’ Challenge is proudly sponsored by Friedr. Dick,
Devro, Van Hessen, and
Anago.
