Hi everyone, I’m John the butcher and have been a butcher for some 30 plus years now. 
During this time I’ve gained vast experience and knowledge about meat and the meat industry. I’ve finally decided to get my act together and make this site so I can share my knowledge and share with people my ideas, helpful hints, recipes and many other little tit bits about the industry that has paved my way to a fulfilling and happy life.
I ask that if I ever say anything that perks your interest that you get involved with my site. I love talking about meat and I am passionate about the meat industry. I welcome comments and opinions on any of the content within my site so I’d love your feedback. Please speak up in any form.
So a little about me and my journey…
I started to get involved in the meat industry when I was 9 years old when I started to help my dad and mum butcher our beef and lambs for our own consumption when we lived on our farm in a small country town, Nannup, in the south west of Australia.
Mum and dad eventually built their own small abattoir where the whole family worked on the weekends, dad, mum, my older brother Mario, my younger sister Sandra and I. We would butcher beef and lambs for the surrounding farmers and town folk and supply beef to some butcher shop customers in the city of Perth. These were the days where I learnt and realised my interest in meat. Wow so long ago…..1970s and 80s
After these early years mum and dad started their first butcher shop in the city and at the age of 15 I decided to leave school and I did my 4 year apprenticeship to become a Master Butcher. My learning and passion grew naturally and in the second year of my apprenticeship I won a Lamb Cutting and Display competition within our state of Western Australia.
We kept our store for 22 years and during that time I took over the running of the day to day business. We are of Italian back ground and most of our retail customers were from European origins so I gained knowledge of the cuts and cutting technique for our then clientèle. As well as retail we also supplied restaurants, the food service industry and also the meat supply of Provedoring shipping companies, where we supplied required cuts for Cruise Liners, cargo ship crew members and even the US Navy with our traditional Italian Sausage when they came into Port.
After mum and dad sold the store I ventured out into working in some Gourmet Style Butcher Shops where I learnt the art of “Ready Prepared Meat Meals” gaining knowledge on marinating, seasoning and experimented on some unique sausage recipes.
My meat experience and knowledge has managed to allow me to travel and I am currently living and working in Shanghai China with my wife Alison, where for the past 10 years or so I have imported meats from around the World and introduced my ideas to my Asian customers. Also learning Asian meat cutting style and usage.
Shanghai is a cosmopolitan city with many expats from all around the globe and I have learnt more about different nationalities meat preferences and styles. I’ve used these teachings to provide people with home away from home meat meals to give that little bit of a comfort feeling from being far from home.
Well I guess you could say I know a bit about meat and the industry, and my friends say I know about the cow from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail. Some also call me the meat magician when I turn a plain cut of meat into a special BBQ treat with some seasoning’s and marinades.
Anyway I hope my site is helpful to you and my tips help you get more enjoyment out of meat. Don’t be afraid to leave feedback, ideas or comments on my articles.
Thanks for dropping by and I wish you best with your new meat ventures.
Best regards
John
Hi John.
Firstly,
Thanks for making your website! What a convenient solution to looking up all this info.
Greetings from an amateur butcher in North Dakota. I love your website. I added it to my favorite list! I want to immerse my self with your knowledge.
Please stop by my website and say hi. I would like to get to know ya! Cheers on your success!
Jason
Hi Jason, Thanks for dropping by and I hope you get some helpful tips for your butchering venture’s. I will add more ideas and tips along the way.
Thanks John
Had a pleasure of working with John during his time in Shanghai – and can stand behind his professionalism in anything meat related!
Now step 2 – John, time to expand your website to fish! 🙂
We will miss you buddy
Hi Dima, thanks for your kind words and right back at you, always a pleasure to work with a professional like yourself.
With the fish idea…hmmm, you know I am a meat man. Also you never know our paths may cross again some day.
Cheers as always… John
Hello John
Love your info about crocodile and alligator meat. I am based in Melbourne where crocodile meat is quite common in the Chinese-Vietnamese communities. Can you tell me anything about crocodile meat in China? Do the Chinese eat it regularly or only for special occasions? Is it seasonal? Regional? Eaten only for medicinal purposes?
Regards
Margareta
Hi Margareta,
Thanks for reading my article. Crocodile or alligator meat is available in China and I had only seen it a couple of times when I lived in Shanghai. It is mainly consumed in the southern parts of China in Guangzhou, just above Hong Kong. They eat everything there. China actually consumes the majority of croc/alligator meat in the world producing themselves and also importing from various countries such as Africa, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and USA. I am pretty sure Australia exports as well as I met a company at a food exibition some years ago while living in Shanghai that were targeting the high end restaurant market. I am not so sure if it is consumed regularly in other parts of China as not many of my Chinese friends spoke much about it but I understand that some thought it had medicinal purposes for asthma and respirtory illnesses and ate some when the were coming down with the flu or cold. It is also regarded mystic for its longevity of life and crocodlies don’t get cancer according to research. Chinese like to hear things like that so it makes them feel healthy when they consume foods with these kind of information. It is very healthy for you anyway. I hope you go out and give it a try in one of those great Chinese or Vietnamese restaurants in Melbourne and thanks for dropping by my site.
Regards John