ABOUT THE ONTARIO'S FINEST BUTCHER COMPETITION

​Registration is now closed for the 2025 Ontario's Finest Butcher Competition.

Ontario's Finest Butcher Competition is a prestigious event that celebrates the exceptional quality and craftsmanship of Ontario's butchers. Organized by Meat & Poultry Ontario, this competition brings together talented butchers from across the province to showcase their skills. 

Competitors begin by showcasing their technical knowledge and knife skills in an Elimination Round on September 8, 2025, at Handtmann Canada, Waterloo, ON and the top three will proceed to the finals round in October 25, 2025 at Meating Place at Blue Mountain Convention Centre in Blue Mountain, Collingwood. Our finalists will participate in a 45-minute competition to show-off their charming and creative selves, thinking quick on their feet, and adding value to an undisclosed protein. The winner will be announced LIVE following the competition.

Registration is closed

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DYLAN MIEDEMA CROWNED ONTARIO'S FINEST BUTCHER IN THE 12TH ANNUAL COMPETITION

GUELPH, ON – October 27, 2025 – Ontario’s Finest Butcher Competition hosted by Meat & Poultry Ontario, now in its 12th year, is a celebration of the craft of butchery and the outstanding skills of Ontario's artisans. This year's competition featured top butchers from across Ontario who displayed their exceptional talents and creativity with the final competition taking place this past weekend at the Meating Place Conference 2025 at Blue Mountain with the winner being announced at the Meat & Poultry Awards Gala.

Watch the livestream of the final round here!

Meat Our Finalists

Waterloo, ON, September 11, 2025 -  Thirteen of Ontario’s top butchers showcased their extraordinary skills during Monday’s elimination round of the 12th annual Ontario’s Finest Butcher Competition, held September 8 at Handtmann Canada, vying for a spot in the grand finale. After scores were calculated, the top three finalists were announced and will now advance to the final round.

Great news! If you can’t join us in person, be part of the excitement online via livestream. Simply follow and like us on Facebook and Instagram, and tune in around 3:15 p.m. when the competition kicks off!⁠

Sulaiman Hakimi
​ Halenda's Fine Foods ⁠

Rakesh Khadoo
​Conestoga Meat Packers Ltd.⁠

Dylan Miedema
​Townsend Butchers Inc.⁠

THANK YOU TO OUR COMPETITION PARTNERS

ONTARIO'S FINEST BUTCHER JUDGES

John Baker
​Ontario Beef

John is the President of Baker Marketing Services International. BMSI provides strategic business development and planning, marketing and project implementation services to organizations and companies serving the global meat industry including the Ontario Beef Market Development program, Beef Farmers of Ontario, the Ontario Cattle Feeders Association and the Ontario Corn Fed Beef program. 

John brings 40 years experience in the meat industry in domestic and international markets, his experiences include, farm to fork supply chain development, on farm Quality Assurance program development, branded beef program development in the retail and foodservice sectors, strategic planning, marketing and merchandising strategy development and results-focused program execution. 

John was a meat cutter/meat dept manager for 20 years working at some of Ontario’s largest retail chains.

 Steivan Canclini
Reiser Canada

Steivan Christian Canclini is a meat and alternative protein expert, instructor, consultant, and trainer with over 35 years of experience in the agribusiness and food sector. He grew up in Switzerland and he graduated with a degree of economics, agriculture and commerce, and also has a Masters of Meat Science and Technology. He is dedicated to the study and development of good practices with livestock, hygiene processes, meat handling, meat, and alternative protein product development. He has exposed himself to many jobs in Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Israel, and Columbia relating to good livestock practices, hygiene processes, meat handling and meat product development.

Stefan Seher
Handtmann Ltd.​

Stefan Seher embarked on his butcher apprenticeship at just 16, kickstarting his career at a local, family-owned butcher shop in Germany. Completing his apprenticeship, Stefan sought to broaden his horizons in Canada. Over the past 20 years, he has accumulated extensive experience in the meat industry, working with renowned companies like Ashburn Foods/Siena Foods and Schneider Foods/Maple Leaf Foods. Since 2018, Stefan has been the Manager of Application Technology at Handtmann Canada, where he assists Sales and Technical Managers nationwide in selecting and implementing the best processing solutions for their customers across various sectors.

Troy Spicer
​Fanshawe College

Troy Spicer's journey in the culinary world began at the age of 15, working early mornings in a retail bakery. Over the next decade, he honed his skills in the bakery industry before branching out into institutional cooking and catering. His passion for butchery was sparked during culinary school, leading him to earn certifications as a Cook 415A, Retail Meat Cutter 245R, and Nutrition Manager. With expertise in butchery, baking, and cooking, Troy now shares his wealth of knowledge as a culinary studies, nutrition, and butchery instructor at Fanshawe College.

Damian Goriup
​Florence Meats

For Damian Goriup, food is about family, passion, and marrying tradition with innovation.

A second-generation owner of Florence Meats in Oakville, Ontario, Damian was named Ontario Finest Butcher in 2017 and was a member of Team Canada competing at the World Butcher Challenge in Sacramento, California (2022) and Paris, France (2025).

He learned his craft as a boy alongside his father, Mario, who ran a butcher shop in South Africa before opening Florence Meats in Canada in 1977. From Mario, Damian gained the art of butchery, curing fine meats, and the value of top-notch customer service.

In 2006, Florence Meats relocated to a larger facility that could accommodate Damian’s vision for the company. Damian blends the traditional fare of his youth with the finest meats and produce that Ontario has to offer, and Florence Meats customers come from near and far to delight in his handiwork.

Florence Meats has captured numerous product awards and acknowledgment in meat competitions throughout Ontario, and the company received Oakville Awards for Business Excellence in 2012 and 2017. 

Recent years have seen the business expand, and Damian and his wife Carol now also own and operate two provincially-licensed meat plants. With growth comes changes — and one, in particular, has made them very happy. Their son, Michael, has now joined the family business.

Questions? Contact Daphne Nuys-Hall at MPO. 

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