Award-winning Kirkby Lonsdale-based Dales Traditional Butchers is celebrating a run of success after taking part in a leading industry event.
In mid-May, the butcher attended the finals of the Great British Butchers Awards, entering nine products in the prestigious Golden Cleaver awards, all of which took gold.
At the same time, staff member Ira Collier, aged 25, who has been with Dales for around eight years, took his chances against some of the nation’s finest young butchers. They were all showcasing their skills as they competed for a sought-after place on Team GB when it participates in the World Champion Butcher Apprentice and Young Butcher competition in Sacramento, California, in 2020.
Entrants have to be 31 or younger, and still completing their trade apprenticeship at the time of taking part.
Ira explained: “These British heats were hosted in Harrogate. We had just 75 minutes to prepare 18 different products, which I had to plan in advance, and all had to come from a single pork shoulder. These included pulled pork, Bombay steak grills, devilishly kebabs, sweet chilli pork stir fry, barbecue pork ribs and pork scratchings. It was exhausting and exciting!”
Ira’s boss, the owner of Dales Butchers, Mark Duckworth, commented: “We are all proud of Ira and what he has achieved – he has worked so hard to learn his craft and this success is very well deserved. We can’t wait to see how he does in Sacramento next year.”
It’s not the first time Dales, a member of Britain’s Q Guild of Butchers, has enjoyed industry success and recognition. In March 2019, the Q Guild’s Smithfield Awards saw Dales scoop Best English Lamb Product for its rosemary and garlic lamb rump, which also won the butcher the supreme champion title when it took best product award at the 2018 National BBQ Awards.
“Not a bad day’s work!” as Mark put it.
