Meet the 2020 Head Judging Team
World Butchers' Challenge Head Technical Judge, Trevor Saville & World Butchers' Challenge Head Judge, Todd Heller
Meet Todd Heller and Trevor Saville, who will oversee the 2020 World Butchers' Challenge judging panel.
Todd, from New Zealand, is the World Butchers' Challenge Head Judge and has been involved in the competition since it's inception in 2011. Todd opened his first butchery in New Brighton, Christchurch, in 1985. Inspired by his travels and the cooking styles of different cultures, Todd began offering greater variety and new flavours – very few of which were available at the time. Todd Heller Meats started supplying supermarkets, outgrew the old factory, moved to a new plant at Kaiapoi and began supplying throughout the South Island of New Zealand. The company continued to flourish and after merging with Tasty Bacon became Hellers. Soon after, the purchase of Vienna Sensational Foods gave the company national distribution. Today, over 500 staff can produce up to 650 tonnes of sausages, over 80 different varieties a week, along with bacon, ham and other smallgoods.
In 2020, Todd will oversee a panel of 15 judges — one judge from each of the competing nations — this panel will be determined in due course. Each team will only be judged by 14 judges as judges will not score their own nation's team. Todd will not have his own set of marks rather he is responsible for overseeing all the judges and their marks but will ultimately have the final say. Leading up to and during the competition, if teams have any concerns or issues regarding judging or competition rules, all these will be run past Todd to ensure consistency.
Like Todd, Trevor from Australia, has been involved since day one when the first challenge was held in Christchurch, NZ.
Trevor owns two renowned stores on the Gold Coast, Savilles Butcheries, and has a history in the meat trade that dates back to 1860 with the birth of Fred Saville. Fred travelled from London to Australia on the ship "Ophir" and opened his first butcher shop, much to the families despair who didn't approve of butchery as a career especially, as his Father was appointed Lord Mayor of Wakefield back in London. Fast forward, three more generations and the family name lives on with Trevor's thriving stores and his own son, Troy, also in the trade.
In 2020, Trevor steps into a newly created role - World Butchers' Challenge Head Technical Judge. Trevor will not have his own set of marks and his responsibilities will include:
- Overseeing health and safety;
- Overseeing the ‘cooked product’ section;
- Overseeing the additional prizes.
World Champion Young Butcher and Apprentice Competition Head Judge, Bob Retallick
Introducing Bob Retallick, from Australia, the World Champion Young Butcher and Apprentice Competition Head Judge. Bob will oversee five judges from each of the World Butchers' Challenge founding countries - Australia, France, Great Britain, Ireland and New Zealand.
Bob, who also judged in 2018, has worked in the meat industry all his working life — across various countries — incorporating innovative product development, specialist meat boning, national/international meat training, apprentice butcher and retail services training, celebrity cooking and meat judging.
His passion and devotion to the meat industry is second to none and he is well known for his humorous approach to his presentations and cooking shows.
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