An Elk Grove man could win $25,000 by cutting meat. Here’s how, and when he’ll compete

Oscar Soto has worked as a butcher at Texas Roadhouse in Elk Grove since 2016, and every year since, he’s participated in the company’s annual Meat-Cutting Challenge.

Soto placed first during a regional competition in Nevada and moved on to the final, national round of 25 contestants, which will be held March 5 in Independence, Missouri.

“(It) feels good,” Soto told The Sacramento Bee in Spanish, using restaurant kitchen manager Jesus Galvan as an interpreter. “Just a lot of emotion with representing (Elk Grove), California…hopefully everything goes well in this final (round) of competition.”

During the competition, each participant receives 30 to 40 pounds of beef: a sirloin, filet and ribeye to cut in a 38-degree environment, according to a Texas Roadhouse news release. Contestants are judged on quality, yield, and speed in this timed cut-off.

The highest quality cut in the least amount of time is determined to be the winner.

Soto acknowledged the number of meat cutters in the market and how the competition would be tough. All-in-all, he’s happy to be representing the Elk Grove market in the finals.

“I want to show everyone what I’m made of,” Soto said.

Donald Worley, service manager at Texas Roadhouse’s Elk Grove location, had high praise for Soto and his hard work that’s shown each time he shows up.

“He’s pretty advanced,” Worley said. “We have one of the best meat cutters in the company. The pride in that is every day we get to come in and look at these beautiful steaks in the meat display case. That’s the best part for us.”

According to the news release, Texas Roadhouse meat cutters carve $1 million worth of meat every year.

The National Meat-Cutting Challenge is part of Texas Roadhouse’s “Meat Hero” program, which was created in 2001 to recognize the efforts and talents of those who hand-cut each steak served at its restaurants.

“Meat-cutting is truly a lost art,” James Workman, Texas Roadhouse’s product coach, said in the news release. “Our annual competition celebrates the success of our professional meat cutters.”

Worley noted that in the past, Soto has been awarded bonuses and other perks and benefits for his meat-cutting prowess.

“He really takes care of us.” Worley said. “(Soto) spends 10 hours a day there, sometimes, cutting steaks. He works really hard at it and he’s one of the best, as you can see because he’s in the top 25 in the company.”

Soto can find himself cutting nearly 700 pounds of meat per day. That works out to approximately 4,900 pounds per week, according to Soto.

Soto sometimes will work alone, doing his thing in a 30-degree room and slicing and dicing up meat while he listens to his favorite music. Although he listens to a variety of music while carving the perfect sirloin, he prefers banda to help him concentrate on the task at hand.

“I really like cutting meat and what I do inside there,” Soto said. “I try to grab more ideas and learn more, that way when I go to the finals I get the best out of myself.”

The first-place winner will be awarded $25,000 and crowned “Meat Cutter of the Year.”

If he wins, Soto is planning to do something life-changing with the earnings.

“I’m going to put a down payment on a house,” Soto said. “This would be pretty big, hopefully I win.”