Make no mis-steak, the hunt to find the world’s finest cut is back on the menu with entries for the World Steak Challenge 2021 opening up on Monday 28 June.

To celebrate, we’re hosting a webinar with some of our meat sommeliers to give you rare behind-the-scenes insight into the acclaimed event, which is now in its seventh year and sets the benchmark for steaks across the world.

Below is our guide to who’s who:

Richie Wilson, culinary director of FIRE Steakhouse and Sole Seafood & Grill Dublin-based

Richie Wilson is a multi-award-winning chef with 27 years’ experience. He initially trained under Ireland’s Paul Flynn of The Tannery and Kevin Thornton of Thornton’s before rising through the ranks to become an executive chef, a position he has held for the past 15 years. He oversees Fire Steakhouse & Sole Seafood & Grill and Ireland’s soon to be relocated Zaragoza restaurant. Richie, who was head of judges in 2019, has been involved with the World Steak Challenge for the past four years and his passion for the event has been an integral part of its growth.

Ioannis Grammenos, celebrity chef at London’s Heliot Steakhouse and world’s first meatologist

Ioannis, the head of judges for this year’s World Steak Challenge, grew up on the island of Corfu, Greece where BBQs were second nature. Over the past 20 years he has worked across some of Europe’s most exclusive kitchens and, in May 2018, Ioannis was named the world’s first Meatologist™, with the opening of the country’s first School of Meatology™ at Heliot Steak House in London’s Hippodrome Casino. His school offers a series of classes throughout the year, which aim to educate meat lovers on how best to cook steak at home. Since taking the helm at Heliot Steak House, the restaurant has won Best Steak Restaurant in London in the Bookatable Awards for 2015, 2017 and 2018. The restaurant has also been named the Best UK Casino Restaurant 2018 by the British Casino Awards and Best Steakhouse 2018 in the Lux Magazine Bar and Restaurant Awards.

Katie Doherty, CEO, The International Meat Trade Association

Katie Doherty completed a degree in International History at The London School of Economics Katie before joining The International Meat Trade Association (IMTA) in 2012. After seven years, Katie was named chief executive of the association, which represents global importers, exporters and wholesalers of beef, lamb, pork and poultry meat. In the same year, she graduated from The Institute of Export & International Trade with a Diploma in World Customs Compliance and Regulations.

Fernando Larroude, master griller and operations chef for the Gaucho restaurants group

Originally from a small Argentinian village in the Patagonia region and born to a mother of Spanish origin, Fernando grew up in a culture rich with social Sunday Asados and Mediterranean-inspired home-cooked food. He first worked in a small restaurant in Buenos Aires, then completed a two-year culinary course before working in a variety of Italian restaurants, eventually becoming head chef.In 2007 Fernando Larroude moved to Europe to head up Argentinian restaurants in Madrid and then in Marbella, eventually moving to London in 2009 where he joined Gaucho and fell in love with the company’s ethos of working with grass-fed, free-to-roam Aberdeen Angus-bred beef from traditional Argentine estancias. Fernando was appointed master griller for the restaurant group in 2012 and is responsible for educating Gaucho’s front of house teams about beef, sharing knowledge with diners, and training all of the restaurant group’s grillers through regular visits to Gaucho’s 16 sites. He’s also in charge of the design and delivery of in-house Cookery Schools.

Alan Franck, master butcher and head of production and manufacturing for a Kent-based Butchers

There’s no escaping the passion of Alan Franck, a South African with 27 years’ industry experience, who is returning to the World Steak Challenge for a sixth year. He began life in the trade working for a busy retail butchery where he trained from the age of 15 and became a qualified blockman. In 1993, Alan emigrated to Portugal where he worked with his brother-in-law in the family’s wholesale and public business. During that time, he grew his skillset and knowledge of Portuguese and South American cuts of meat, which he was responsible for sourcing. In 2013, England became his home when he and his young family moved to Kent and the butcher is now an expert in English cuts, too.

John Sashi-Nielsen, founder of Denmark’s JN Meat International

John Sashi-Nielsen, the skilled butcher and owner of JM Meat International – a two-time winner of the World Steak Challenge (2018 & 2019) admits he has beef on his brain ‘24/7’. He even has two grills burning inside his office every day to experiment with taste. His company specialises in loin beef cuts and has a deboning hall situated near Copenhagen. John remains convinced that animals raised on grass are better tasting than those that are grain-fed and believes that you do not have to be among the biggest meat producers to be the best. He’ll be entering the World Steak Challenge again in 2021 to see if he can add a third WSC accolade to his collection.

If you are looking to enter the World Steak Challenge in 2021 or simply learn more about the steak industry this webinar, on 30 June, is a must. Click here to register.

The World Steak Challenge (WSC) is organised by William Reed Business Media (WRBM) the publisher behind the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and the International Wine Challenge, as well as leading business food and drink publications. The WSC enables entrants to test their steaks against global competitors, delivering a recognised stamp of quality and setting the benchmark for international steak production.