Creativity In The Butchery

By Kyle Snow

Innovation is the most constant and critical aspect in both the restaurant and butchery. In a butchery, as a business, certain cuts can be valueadded by good, clean butchering. The easiest example of this is how beef trimmings and off-cuts will become mince meat, taste great and sell fast. This is the principle we apply as we select each cut, its also why there is very little uniformity between different butchers, what they do and what they call their cuts. Having said that, there is a constant in butchering which is the improved ability of getting the cuts without wasting too much beef. We are uniform in that the cuts will all be there and the better we use our knives and the cleaner we work the more effective we can be as butchers. The main work in the butchery is uniformity, but what separates a good and bad butchery is what they are able to do with ‘the rest’, or how they can present each cut in the most amazing ways. If anyone has seen a butchery in France (on my bucket list) you will know what I mean. Clean cuts, beautiful beef, neat roast rolls and freshness are the virtues of a French Butcher.

Creativity is an essential tool in the restaurant as well, especially when we connect it to the butchery. Contemporary restaurants are often fitted out with a ‘Demo Kitchen’, where chefs can experiment with new menu items or specials before they are created. It is in this creative space where we ourselves test out burger patties, where different lamb breeds are tasted for comparison, briskets are rolled, short-ribs are smoked, and where our experiments can come to life. A Demo Kitchen truly is the chef’s playground because it is a designated creative space. We don’t do service from our Demo-Kitchen and it is uncluttered, with just a grill, a table and a smoker as the equipment available. It’s simplicity that must go with creativity, otherwise the same creativity could become a logistical and practical hazard. You will never get a slip in the Demo- Kitchen and we always look forward to the days when myself and fellow South African and Executive Chef Bulelani Dabula can freestyle and see what happens. Our Pairing events or Beef Experiences bring out a whole new element. In this we experiment with Alcohol and deserts as well as tweaking menu items to have more flair, or to be more in line with the pairings from our partners. It’s a constant task and the greatest pleasure as we know that the crazy ideas that slowly form in the brain will have to come to fruition at some point. So the crazy thoughts like ageing beef with whisky, honey, coffee, or maybe even fruits have to become a reality eventually. 90% of our restaurant specials have been born in the Demo-Kitchen and it’s creativity and innovation that keeps a restaurant relevant and appealing.