World Steak Challenge

This year, World Steak Challenge is moving from London to Dublin and we couldn’t be happier to announce FIRE is the official judging host of this year’s event on the 9th and 10th July!

The World Steak Challenge was launched in 2015 to deliver a recognised stamp of quality to support world-class steak production on a global platform and to promote it to consumers as a positive choice in a healthy balanced lifestyle. It gives steak producers a unique platform to benchmark product quality, breed credentials and processing standards on the international stage.

Twenty-two steak-producing countries have participated – entrants travel to attend the event and network with VIPs, judges and international media.

This year, the World Steak Challenge is taking place in Dublin and we are delighted to be the judging host, with our Executive Chef, Richie Wilson on the judging panel leading the search for the world’s best steak this summer.

Global Meat News has named Richie this year’s Chair of the judges who will assemble in Eire to decide which country and which producer will become supreme 2019 champion in the World Steak Challenge.

More than 30 experts have agreed to adjudicate in this year’s event which is a platform to benchmark the quality of beef production against international competitors. The panel draws together beef producers, butchers, restaurateurs and chefs from around the world. The judging is a robust process which takes place over two days, this year on July 9 and 10 in Dublin.

Gold, Silver and Bronze medals will be awarded to rib eye, fillet steak and sirloins. But from the winners in each of those categories, only one steak will achieve the prestigious status of World’s Best Steak 2019.

“For some, this is an opportunity to stand up and be counted. To show the world just how good your beef is, to prove you are the very best producer of the world’s finest steak,” said Richie. “After the challenge, the producers can continue to market this, proudly sporting their medals on packaging and across all their media channel. For others, the challenge is a unique opportunity to have their beef reviewed by a panel of judges made up of chefs, butchers, beef producers, all at the top of their game, along with the consumer panel, making this the most detailed scrutiny the steak could possibly receive. This information is invaluable to any producer, arming them with the knowledge needed to improve on their product.”

The annual competition reflects current trends and best practice in global beef production. “Slower and smaller is clearly what both our palates and planet want. The Challenge has seen winning steaks rise to the top because of the slower development of fat in the beef, giving the flavour that may once have been from a bygone time, but, through devoted producers, mindful consumers and The World Steak Challenge, has seen a return in recent years,” said Richie.

Global Meat News deputy editor Aidan Fortune explained why Ritchie was the perfect choice as chair of judges. “Richie was on the judging panel in 2018 and his enthusiasm and passion for quality steak shone through. Holding the competition in Ireland and having a chair of judges like Richie who is an expert in the production and preparation of the perfect steak, was a simple decision, and we look forward to sampling some amazing entries in July.”

Due to the increasing scale of the Challenge, a deputy chair of judges has also been named. Hailing from Greece, Ioannis Grammenos is the Executive Chef at Heliot Steak House in London and has a culinary background that stretches back more than 20 years. He’s the world’s first meatologist and runs the School of Meatology at Heliot Steak House. Ioannis also judged last year.

Now in its fifth year, the World Steak Challenge 2019 is supported by official host partner Bord Bia. The awards ceremony itself is on July 10 in the Round Room of the Mansion House, the official residence of the Lord Mayor. The World Steak Challenge is presented by Global Meat News, part of William Reed Business Media, the company behind the acclaimed World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards and The International Wine Challenge. Global Meat News is one of the world’s leading online news sources for the international meat trade.

For more information, visit: World Steak Challenge.