Australian Food Super’s Justine Hayes caught up with four times Meatstock Butcher Wars champion, New Zealand Master Butcher winner and World Butcher Wars winner, Brett Laws. Brett just claimed the inaugural World Butcher Wars championship title in Berkshire, England, in July.
Justine Hayes (JH): What is the name of your butcher shop and where is it located?
Brett Laws (BL): I am based at Pryde Meats in Narellan which is South Western Sydney within the Camden region of NSW. It’s a family run and owned business.
JH: How long have you been a butcher for?
BL: I have been a butcher for majority of my life which is going 26 years this year. This is all I have ever done within my working career.
JH: Why did you become a butcher?
BL: Butchering is within my family, butchering is within our blood, my dad, uncle and brother were all butchers, it was always a passion I had.
JH: Where did you do your training?
BL: My training was at Granville TAFE within NSW. I learnt lots of my skills from watching my senior butchers when I was an apprentice and early in my trade as well as from my dad.
JH: What are the typical products you have in your store?
BL: Pryde Meats have valued added products which our young working families within our area have grown to love. We source our beef from within our local community. We stock a variety of brands which are well known. Due to our 15-metre cabinet display we have plenty of room to showcase and provide a great range of products to our customers.
JH: Who is your typical customer?
BL: Our typical customers are working class families. Having easy-to-go meals like our famous lasagnes, pies and tortillas are great options. Easy meals especially for mid-week dinners.
JH: What are your favourite products?
BL: A few of my favourite products are my topside pull apart roast which I did at the 2022 World Butcher Challenge, lamb noisettes which you can find on my Instagram page ‘Butcher Lawsy’ and you can’t go past the king of all steak a tomahawk.
JH: What has been the highlight of butchering so far?
BL: My biggest highlight to date would be representing Australian as part of the Australian Butcher Team competing in the 2022 and coming second at the World Butcher Challenge in Sacramento America.
Being the first butcher in Australia to win all three Butcher Wars at Meatstock in one calendar year. And winning the Master Butcher competition in New Zealand in 2022. These were all incredible highlights.
JH: What are some of the challenges you have faced?
BL: As an Individual you face challenges every day, dealing with them gets you through and makes a better person. One particular I’ve encountered was preparing mentally and taking the first step on entering my very first butcher competition.
JH: What goals do you have for the future?
BL: My biggest goal, which I’m sure any butcher would dream of, is owning their very own butcher shop. As well as continuing to showcase butchering to all of our butchering community.
JH: What is your retirement dream?
BL: I would love to retire and spend quality time with my family and travel the world.
JH: How is superannuation important to you?
BL: Superannuation sets you up for retirement. Without this, we would have to live on and continue working well within our senior years. I have been a member of Australian Food Super since I entered this industry and love what they do.
JH: You are a multiple Australian Food Super Butcher Wars winner. What is the main key to your success?
BL: Practice, hard work, dedication, a support network and passion have been the main keys to my success at the Australian Food Super Butcher Wars.
JH: What advice would you give other butchers entering the competition?
BL: Believe in yourself, be proud, be confident you do this daily in and out.
JH: Tell us why you think the Butcher Wars is an important event for the industry?
BL: Butcher Wars showcases the skills and technique to the general public. It encourages young butchers to be involved and come out their comfort zone and promotes butchers and their shops.
