As part of the SAMIC Annual Conference, an annually required inspector calibration and exercise, the SAMIC team spent some time discovering blockman art as a training and teambuilding exercise.
It brought together 25 staff members, divided in groups of five, for hands-on experience centred around one of the products of the meat industry. This challenge was to break down a whole beef side into primal cuts and value-added products under the guidance of a seasoned professional safari chef, Fleischmeister and Chef Rôtisseur, Chef Anton Vermeulen, with each team removing cuts for portioning, mincing, spicing, marinating, making wors, and packaging their products.
The afternoon was relaxed and filled with humour while also being competitive and educational with lots of friendly competition between the teams. It was a great opportunity for staff to work together, learning new culinary and blockman skills and having lots of fun with food. Group 2 (oom Dirk Zandberg, Tiaan Ferreira, Idah Mbuyane, Patricia Maswanganye, and Marco Coetzee) took the prize for Best Product, while Group 1 (Chris Ngeleza, Patrick Neels, Anthony Rahlaho, James Jeffries, Mandla Nkentane, and Steven Nyamane) won Best Table Presentation. Individual excellence was awarded to Carolien Viviers, with Natasha van Schoor receiving the Chef’s Vote. The afternoon was a celebration of working with, preparing, and enjoying the product that brings the meat industry together.
