The Steak Cutting Competition Texas Roadhouse Hosts Every Year

Slicing raw meat into pieces for optimal cooking doesn't happen by accident. Texas Roadhouse sees meat cutting as an art form, so it might not come as a surprise if the company finds ways to show how much pride it has in its in-house butchers. However, what many people might not know about Texas Roadhouse is that it has an annual competition to celebrate this particular form of craftsmanship. The event started in 2001 and has grown from a series of regional and national challenges into an international competition. Though Texas Roadhouse's Meat Cutting Challenge serves as a way to motivate employees, the annual competition also boosts team morale and elevates the brand. The event also provides a meeting spot where tricks of the trade can be shared among participants. Plus, it comes with a $25,000 national prize.

Participating professional butchers are used to spending long days in climate-controlled freezers handling the types of steak Texas Roadhouse uses for its menus. These meat cutters work in 38-degree coolers for up to 10 hours slicing and cleaning meat, so the annual competition helps celebrate their craft and reward excellence. While the competition started as a regional event, it has since become an international affair. The first overseas competition took place in 2020 in Taiwan.

Butchers participating in Texas Roadhouse's Meat Competition are given a fixed amount of time to carve into 40 pounds of beef presented in different steak cuts ranging from sirloin, filet, and ribeye. As the competing meat cutters slice into the meat, they work to claim the top position in terms of both quality and yield of their cuts. Though participants are ranked on speed, and the amount of meat they can take and cut into presentable pieces that can be seasoned and cooked, the judges also consider the efficiency and precision of their work.

Competition is fierce as butchers from across the nation step up to slice and dice meat into pretty pieces. Regional challenges are often held at local ice skating rinks so that the temperature of the space can be controlled as the butchers make their way through pounds of meat. Meat cutters who advance through the series of organized meat-cutting rounds dream of using the $25,000 award to put down payments on homes and buy new cars. If ever you visit a Texas Roadhouse, take note of the cuts of steak served up on plates. A master is most likely behind those meals.