Two Indy-area meat cutters ready to ‘carve their way’ to National Meat Cutting Challenge finals
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Two central Indiana meat cutters will compete in Ohio Tuesday to see if they’ll “make the cut” for the National Meat Cutting Challenge finals.
In October, competitors in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Georgia “carved out” top spots in their competitions.
On Tuesday, 25 of the U.S.’s top butchers will compete for a spot in the championship round, with all eyes on a $25,000 grand prize and the title of “Meat Cutter of the Year.”
Fishers’ Ivan Xique and Indianapolis’ Alvaro Benitez Garcia are two of four competitors representing Indiana at the regional competition at OhioHealth Chiller Easton.
Juan Roblero from Dyer and Miguel Lopez from Evansville will be participating in Tuesday’s competition, as well.
Tuesday’s competition was set to begin at 9 a.m.
Sneak peek at the competition
Texas Roadhouse says each competitor will receive 30-40 pounds of beef, consisting of “one sirloin, one filet, and one ribeye to cut.” The meat cutters will be judged on the cut’s quality, yield, and speed in the timed competition.
Whoever yields the most steaks with the highest quality of cut in the least amount of time will be crowned the winner of the regional “cut-off.”
The steaks will also be cut at a crisp 38 degrees, to assure the best quality of meat.
Meet the meat cutters
- Eduardo Pedraza, Springfield, OH
- Edgar De Leon, Ft. Wright, KY
- Angel Mahe, Fairborn, OH
- Juan Roblero, Dyer, IN
- Matt Smith, New Philly, OH
- Zach Howard, Richmond, KY
- Alvaro Benitez Garcia, Indianapolis, IN
- Aydee Ramirez, Buford, GA
- Carolos Martinez, Paducah, KY
- Jose Martinez, Westland, MI
- Jozef Szymansky, Ann Arbor, MI
- Brittany Miller, Willoughby, OH
- Dean Sturgill, Madision Heights, MI
- Ricardo Trejo Cuartho, Grove City, OH
- Nacho Ramirez, Florence, KY
- Eladio Lopez, Louisville, KY
- Mike Bacha, Hilliard, OH
- Ivan Xique, Fishers, IN
- Shawn Braden, Middletown, KY
- Bernardo Arias, Bloomington, IN
- Phil Tufts, Chillicothe, OH
- David Bodo, Alliance, OH
- Miguel Lopez, Evansville, IN
- Brandon Martin, Findlay, OH
- Steve Menkhaus, Kenwood, OH
The top five competitors will have the opportunity to participate in the national finals in March.
Xique made it to the final round of the 2023 National Meat Cutting Challenge. Daniel Rivera of Covington, California, took home the title of Meat Cutter of the Year.
Click here to learn more about Texas Roadhouse and the National Meat Cutting Challenge.