“Elite Butchers” Wanted for the Team Representing Romania at the World Butchers’ Challenge 2025
“Thirty years ago, when we founded the butcher shop together with my father, Ștefan, the profession of butcher was respected and appreciated. Today, a reassessment of this profession is needed at the national level, so that the younger generation can be attracted to this craft. Participation in the WBC will be the beginning of this process. We want to drive a change in perception, without which it will be difficult to maintain the dynamism and development of the meat industry in Romania,” said Cosmin Moldovan, President of the Ștefan Moldovan Foundation and CEO of Moldovan Carmangerie.
To identify the 10 skilled professionals, the “Ștefan Moldovan” Foundation, supported by Auchan and BCR, is organizing four regional selection events under the “Elite Butchers” program.
“The butcher profession is a very important one in the food retail sector, distinguished by high standards, openness, and fairness. Passion and respect for the craft are the key elements that every competitor must demonstrate both during the competition and in their future professional practice. We are pleased to be part of this event that recognizes and celebrates the unique value butchers bring to every meal, and we wish all competitors the best of success,” said Mihai Toader, Business Unit Director at Auchan România.
Before the actual selection process, interested candidates are invited to register on the website elitamacelarilor.ro, according to the following schedule:
Registered butchers will be able to choose, depending on age and technical skills, one of the following competition categories: Apprentice Butcher (under 30 years old), Young Butcher (under 35 years old), or Master Butcher.
The selection events will take place in Auchan hypermarkets in Cluj-Napoca (May 18), Timișoara (May 25), Iași (June 8), and Bucharest (June 29). Candidates will have 45 minutes to break down pork or beef half-carcasses and transform the resulting meat into various products. The jury will evaluate each participant based on cutting technique, creativity, and the complexity of the final products. The four competition days will be true live shows, where all visitors in Auchan stores will be invited to watch and later taste the prepared products.
Those selected will join the three master butchers who have already gained recognition within the Top Chef Butcher competition: Ionuț Alexandru Anghel and Gabriel Arghir from Carmangeria Ozana (1st place in 2022 and 2023), as well as Sandu Mirea from the Auchan Drumul Taberei hypermarket in Bucharest (2nd place in 2022).
Two young butchers, selected through the regional competitions and supported by BCR, will compete on the eve of the WBC event for the titles of World Champion Butcher Apprentice and World Champion Young Butcher. Thus, the Romanian team competing at the WBC will consist of a captain, six senior starters, two young apprentices, and four reserves.
Once formed, the “Elite Butchers” team will enter a training period hosted at the facilities provided by Moldovan Carmangerie in Cluj. The team will also be presented during the 2024 edition of Top Chef Butcher, where they will hold a special demonstration.
The World Butchers’ Challenge originated as a competition between butcher teams from New Zealand and Australia. It is a biennial event, now in its eighth edition, which will take place on March 30–31, 2025 in Paris, France. Romania will compete alongside 14 other countries: Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, and the USA.
Project initiated by the “Ștefan Moldovan” Foundation in collaboration with Top Chef Butcher, CarnEXPO, IndustriaCărnii.ro, and AgroTransilvania Cluster
Strategic partners: Auchan and BCR
Main partners: Moldovan Carmangerie, RBC, Salesianer, Monceanu Inocasings
Partners: Ion Moș, Emerson Technik, Rottaprint, Marchand, TESTO
Institutional partner: Cluj County Council
