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Jesus Jaimes from Conroe will participate in the second round of the Texas Roadhouse National Meat Cutter Challenge.

Alejandro Cristobal from Richmond will participate in the second round of the Texas Roadhouse National Meat Cutter Challenge.

David Garcia from Houston will participate in the second round of the Texas Roadhouse National Meat Cutter Challenge.

Jorge Grimaldi from Katy will participate in the second round of the Texas Roadhouse National Meat Cutter Challenge.

Four Houston area butchers have made it to the second round of the Texas Roadhouse National Meat Cutter Challenge.

Alejandro Cristobal, David Garcia, Jorge Grimaldi, and Jesus Jaimes are four of 19 professional meat cutters selected from Texas Roadhouse restaurants across the nation.

Regionals will take place at the ice rink at TGH Ice Plex in Tampa on Tuesday, Jan. 25. All meat cutting is done at a chilly 38 degrees to ensure freshness and quality, Texas Roadhouse said.

Each participant receives 30 to 40 pounds of beef, including one sirloin, one filet and one ribeye to cut. The winner is the cutter with the most steaks, with the highest quality cut in the allotted time. Competitors are marked on quality, yield and speed.

“Hand-cut steaks are a signature element of our success and our culture,” said Chase Evans, regional product coach director. “The annual competition allows our meat cutters to showcase their skills. They’re the best of the best!”

Top scoring challengers will advance to the final round in Louisville, KY. The winner of the national competition will receive a grand prize of $25,000 as well as being crowned Meat Cutter of the Year.

“Our hand-cut steaks are our most popular items on the menu,” said Nicole Vesco, regional marketing director. “Having in-house meat cutters allows us to provide a higher quality to our guests and still maintain our value.”

In an average year, a Texas Roadhouse meat cutter cuts about $1 million worth of meat, spending seven to eight hours a day cutting meat in a 35-degree walk-in cooler.

The National Meat Cutting Challenge is part of the Meat Hero program, created in 2001, to recognize daily efforts of Texas Roadhouse meat cutters. Meat cutters hand-cut each steak served at the restaurants. Their work is displayed in the lobby where guests are invited to choose their favorite steak.

Juhi Varma is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle. She primarily covers Fort Bend County.

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