Above them, at the Centre City New World supermarket butchery, judges watched like hawks.
"They have to make statutory cuts out of their pieces and then do something creative with the rest," Retail Meat New Zealand competition co-ordinator Fiona Carruthers, of Gore, said.
"The judges are looking at things like hygiene, knife skills, yields, creativity and efficiency at work. It's all about improving skills and encouraging more people into the industry."
After a written exam and a two-hour practical cutting test, the young butcher of the year crown was won, for the second consecutive year, by Centre City New World butcher Robert Daniel Holdaway (25) and the apprentice butcher title by his colleague, James Biggs (25).
The butchers were judged by Otago Polytechnic chef tutor Steve Ellwood, Pak'n'Save butchery manager Glyn Roberts and Alliance Meats butcher David Mitchell.
"Having a chef is important, because you have to know how to cook cuts, as well as produce them," Ms Carruthers said.
"You have to know that what you're producing can be cooked successfully."
Mr Holdaway and Mr Biggs will now compete in the Retail Meat New Zealand national final at SkyCity in Auckland on August 16.
