What is a Master Butcher?

People often ask me "What is a Master Butcher?".

While there is no official certification to become a Master Butcher, like a Master Chef, the title carries equal weight in recognition of achieving the highest level of expertise in its field.

What does it mean to be a Master Butcher?

A "Master Butcher" is one who has knowledge in the cutting of all types of beef, pork, lamb,veal, and poultry. Master butchers understand the meat operation process from beginning to end. They know how age rotation is handled, how to make every cut of steak, roast, or chop and have a good idea of yields and cost management through meat merchandising. They also teach others how to cut meat.

In traditional butcher shops, it was a position that typically ran the whole department, from purchasing all the way down to cutting and packing. Master Butchers are fast movers and straight talkers; we’re folks that don’t relax much.

There’s a lot of toil in the meat department from set up to production, to clean up. There should be no duty a Master Butcher can’t do in their shop – that takes years of experience and training.