TAMPA, Fla — If you're a true lover of meat, you'd probably know that the second round of the "National Meat Cutter Challenge" just went down in Tampa.
A total of 25 professional meat cutters from across the region competed Wednesday on the ice rink at TGH Ice Plex in hopes of moving on to the semi-finals.
Starting bright and early at 10 a.m., each participant received 30-40 pounds of beef – consisting of one sirloin, one filet and one ribeye to cut.
"Meat cutters are judged on quality, yield, and speed in this timed cut-off. The winner is the cutter who yields the most steaks, with the highest quality cut in the least amount of time," event leaders explain in a news release. "To assure the best, freshest quality meat, all cutting is done at a chilly 38 degrees."
Top-scoring challengers in the region were able to advance to the semi-finals where they’ll compete to earn their place in the 2023 national competition.
The semi-finals and final competition will take place in March, and the winner will receive a prize of $25,000 while also being crowned "Meat Cutter of the Year."
“It's truly an art,” Chase Evans, Texas Roadhouse product coach, explained in a statement. “We host this annual competition to celebrate our professional meat cutters. We love our people and our meat-cutting program is one way we show appreciation and reward their hard work and dedication.”
Here's a list of meat cutters who participated in the second round:
- Jason Allen – Chattanooga, TN
- Henry Berdugo – Austin, TX
- Eliud Camarillo – Harlingen, TX
- Jose Luis Carpio – Houma, LA
- Manuel Celis – Hendersonville, TN
- Alejandro Cristobal – Richmond, TX
- Nicasio Duran – Panama City Beach, FL
- Zach Fisher – Charlottesville, VA
- Benito Galindo – Covington, LA
- Alvaro Gomez – Lafayette, LA
- Jorge Grimaldi – Katy, TX
- Edwin Guox – Friendswood, TX
- Shawn Haines – Orange Park, FL
- Jose Jaimes – Conroe, TX
- Chris Maccord – Gainesville, FL
- Rolando Mendoza – Houston, TX
- Jose Lemus – Glen Allen, VA
- Terell Mason – Oviedo, FL
- Shyrone McMillan – Lakewood Ranch, FL
- Jordan Mitz – Melbourne, FL
- Walter Perez – Humble, TX
- Daniele Porcayo – Killeen, TX
- Jose Reyes – Kingwood, TX
- Daniel Rivera – Covington, LA
- Abraham Vazquez – San Marcos, TX
"Each Meat Cutter is responsible for hand-cutting every steak served at their local Texas Roadhouse," competition leaders explain in a release. "In an average year, they cut about $1 million worth of meat and spend seven to eight hours a day cutting meat in the 35-degree walk-in cooler."