A husband and wife duo from Co. Carlow have taken home the title of 'best chicken product in the world' for their 'chicken Italiano' dish at the World Butchers' Challenge 2025.

Often referred to as the 'olympics of meat', the World Butchers' Challenge invites six of the best butchers from every country around the globe to compete for the prestigious title of world's best butcher on an international stage every two years.

The competition itself is conducted over the course of three and a half hours, with competing teams given a side of beef, a side of pork, a whole lamb and five chickens, which they must then transform into a themed display of value-added products.  

Independent judges then assess each team on technique, skill, workmanship, product innovation, overall finish, and presentation, before they champion an overall winning team and award respective titles for best in category for each meat.

Over 200 butchers representing 16 countries competed in this year's competition, which took place in Paris, France, on March 30-31.

Jim Murphy of Murphy's Craft Butchers in Tullow, Co. Carlow captained the Irish team to victory in the chicken division in 2025, alongside his wife Bernadette Murphy and fellow team members, Paul Hamilton, James Etherson, Leon Moore and Ebony Murtagh.

Team captain, Jim Murphy, spoke to Agriland about his team's experience at the competition from Disneyland Paris, where he and his family were holidaying after their triumph.

He said: "It's a massive occasion for butchers as you have six of the best from every participating country competing, they're your peers, they're the guys you look up to and follow on social media - it's our World Cup.

Murphy traced his competitive journey back to 2018, when he first started training.

Prior to his success this year, he competed at the World Butchers' Challenge 2022 in Sacramento, California, where he won the prize for best pork sausage in the world.

As team captain, Murphy was responsible for creating all the products displayed by his team at this year's competition. His prize-winning chicken italiano was coated in pistachio, lemon pepper and parmesan cheese.

He was also responsible for training the team, which he did from his butchers in Tullow every Sunday in the lead-up to the event.

"Each person on the team would have their own specialties, whether that be breaking, deboning, garnishing etc. Bernadette has a brilliant eye for detail. She could make any piece of meat look unbelievable.

"I spend a lot of time designing the best in category products because if you win these, you get extra points towards the overall competition," he added.

Murphy comes from a long line of butchers, with his great-grandfather Lar Murphy first opening the family butchers back in 1909. Jim first started working in the shop in 1988 when he was just 15-year-old and as been working there ever since.

He accredits his success to his passion, the high quality of meat produced at his own abattoir and his ability to adapt to changing times and trends.

"The food trends have completely changed. The day where my granny and my mother cooked a stew for two and a half, three hours, that's gone. People are busier these days, they want something that's going to cook in less than half an hour.

"So you have to look at what people are actually eating and evolve. If you stay in the past - you'll dwindle away. That's what this competition demands - innovation.

"I just so passionate about the industry, about butchering and I just want to keep it going because it's all I know. It's in my blood and I just love it," he said.

Team France took home gold at the 2025 championship last weekend.