CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Texas Roadhouse is a pretty popular steakhouse. Here in Chattanooga, when you walk inside, you’ll see a lot of awards on the wall bestowed upon one Jason Allen.

37 year old Jason Allen works in the back, in a cooler, that’s 34 degrees. He works with knives. Sharp knives. He has fun. And he sports a passion for what he does.

“I like the knives. It’s the same job but each piece of meat is different. So it’s constantly engaging. And most of the time, it’s all on you, as to how good you are. Yes, I take pride in what I do.”

Yes indeed my friends, Jason is one of the meat cutters at the Roadhouse. He’s been slicing, dicing and chopping for 14 years.

And once again, Jason is competing in the restaurant chain’s “Meat Cutter Challenge!”

He heads to Tampa this week. He’ll be competing all day Tuesday. Ultimately, the top prize….for the best cutter…….. is 25-grand.

The Roadhouse holds this competition every year. Jason’s made it to the semifinal round before. But never the finals.

You see, the standards are high. Each cutter will receive up to 40 pounds of beef. Judged on things such as quality and speed.

There’s no room for error.

“All of our steaks…..it’s how much fat is allowed. For example, you must leave some fat on the ribeye. Everybody expects some fat on the ribeye. But if you leave too much, that steak gets kicked out and you lose points. You can’t cut a 12 ounce steak under 12 ounces. If you do, you’ll lose points.”

The grand prize winner won’t be announced until this summer. Until then, Jason Allen will continue to apply his craft. Cutting meat. For his customers to enjoy. Dave Staley, News 12 Now

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Talk to News 12 anchors, reporters and meteorologists. When you see news happening, share it! We’d love to hear from you.

423-785-1200 | news@wdef.com 3300 Broad Street, Chattanooga TN 37408

We live, work and play right here in the Tennessee Valley. We are your neighbors. We celebrate community and we tell your stories. We are the most trusted source for local news.

Download the News 12 Now News and Storm Team 12 Weather Apps on your smart phone or tablet device to receive breaking news and weather push notifications the minute it happens.

Mobile App|Weather App | WDEF Email Sign Up