From the Butcher’s Block is a series of interviews bought to you by Lesnie’s. Get to know your local butcher better and hear from these craftsmen who work so hard to put the food on our plate.
This week hear from Adrian Prior from Eversons Food Processors in Frederickton NSW.
Adrian shares with us his thoughts on some of the most important skills needed to be successful in this trade – and we can guarantee it’s not the ones you first think of.
Tell us about your start in the butcher trade?
I became a butcher because my Dad was a butcher. I started out by helping out in his shop when I was 15 years old – that was a few decades ago now!
Now I’m working on the abattoir side of things as the abattoirs Quality Assurance Manager and head of inspection supplying to butchers, Restaurants, Wholesalers.
So when I think of the trade I think both sides of it – the abattoir teams working in the background for the butcher, and the butcher who has the customer walking in his (or her) door.
Would you recommend this trade to someone looking for a job today?
Yes and No. It’s long hours, it’s weekends, there’s always competition up the road BUT it’s regular employment and it’s not impacted the weather (minus the drought) unlike other industries.
I don’t think most people realise the hours that go into the Butcher trade. At the end of the day you’re running a business that has to cater for different tastes and keep profitable while stocking lots of fresh options and new offerings. It can be tricky.
What has changed most about the butcher trade since you joined it?
For a while there was the ‘café set’ always looking for something special and NEW, but the battler has always wanted good wholesome meat at a good value price. It’s our job to be able to serve everyone, but really knowing the best value for money is the most important for everyone.
Making sure you have the product range your customer likes and making sure you can offer marinade chicken and all those types of meal flavours to help them with quick evening meals is important too. Not everyone gets home from work with a couple of hours to cook dinner in, and it needs to be tasty and most nights, on the table quickly.
How did the craft of butchery and your skills improve with time?
We have a team of 8 butchers in our cutting room of the abattoir, working with so many different tradesmen teaches you lots of new skills, developing and trying new cuts of meat for one. It’s a good place to work.
Certainly, knowing meat, the cuts and how to use them is important. The ‘old time’ butchers still know all of this. Meat changes with the seasons, different conditions the animal lives in etc.
For the butcher in the shop, being able to advise the customer that the forequarter is today’s best deal and how best to cook it has to be part of the service.
What are the most important skills when dealing with customers?
Being able to talk to them is the MOST important skill to have. They’re always looking for something that’s a bit different to cook, they want to know how to cook it. We butchers have to know all of that to help them.
Plus, something lots of people don’t think about – window dressings. There’s a bit of a knack to that, the shop needs to look good from the outside, and also once they come in. Laying out the displays of meat and making sure everything looks nice and fresh, and shows the range we have – it’s all important for the customer. And helps us to offer them options of what to buy.
What is popular in the shop?
We have quite a name for ourselves for using Pork Newri sausage meal in our sausages. We make everything from scratch and they have always been popular.
It’s a Lesnie’s flavour, and Lesnie’s have always been consistent and good quality, so dependable.
What do you eat at home?
We love a good Green Thai or Indian Masala curry. I’m more than happy to jump in the kitchen and rustle up a good curry.
Thanks for your time today Adrian, and sharing a little of your story.
If you’re from the Frederickton area we’re sure you already know the good work they do at Everson’s Food Processors. Hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes view.
