Last year was a rollercoaster ride for Simon Taylor at Surrey Hills Butchers. Having just competed for Team GB in the World Butchers’ Challenge, he was hit by a virus to the heart linked to stress, which resulted in a serious hospital stay last spring.
“It was a tough time, but I’ve come out the other side stronger," says Simon. "Suddenly realising you’re not indestructible completely changes your view so, I had to make some changes, take a step back and let my team take the lead more.”
It seems to be working. By November, Surrey Hills Butchers was named Butcher of the Year in the South East at the 2018 Butcher's Shop of the Year Awards.
“My team deserves so much credit," says Simon. "It was the fourth time we'd reached the finals. The judges said it was an appreciation for everything we do - from training the next generation to working with farmers."
Simon has since been named vice-captain of Team GB, who will take part in the World Butchers’ Challenge in California next year.
Having set about transforming the way we think about butchery in Surrey ever since he took the keys of Surrey Hills Butchers in 2011, it's easy to see his influence in the latest openings around our county.
“Butchery is so strong in Surrey and the increasing competition can only be a good thing," he says. "Despite the struggles on the high street generally, more people want to speak to someone knowledgeable who can tell the story of each product. Britain has got some of the best farming welfare standards in the world, and quality butchers are an important part of maintaining that circle."
Meanwhile, the rise of the vegan conversation has only benefited butchers, by shining a light on some of the poorer practises in mass production. "Mass production of anything in the food world often leads to cost, quality and corner cutting," he says. "It would be much better if farmers were able to make a proper living for all their hard work. Reconnecting with farms is so important."
To that end, Surrey Hills Butchers was one of the first to partner with Surrey Wildlife Trust in an innovative conservation grazing scheme that sees our county's nature reserves maintained by Belted Galloway cattle. "The animals benefit conservation and help maintain natural balance before they enter the food chain," says Simon. "I doubt there's a more naturally reared product in the country."
CHANGING TASTES
As people learn more about where their meat comes from and how to cook it properly, tastes are changing too. "There's more interest in butcher's cuts, perhaps boosted by celeb chefs using them," he says. "They'd wrongly been seen as secondary cuts, but you just need to know how to cook them to make them special."
And, while charcuterie on the continent has long been an art form and dry-aging is nothing new, both have become more mainstream as technology helps to make the processes more consistent. "I was talking to a winemaker and, in some ways, the dry-aging process isn't that different to producing the perfect vintage," says Simon. "Once you get into dry-aging, the spectrum of flavours is amazing."
As such, Surrey Hills Butchers has become something of a dry-aging specialist and is launching an online shop in time for some major food festival appearances this summer.
Away from his shop, Simon loves exploring the county's food and drink scene when time allows ("not as often as I'd like!") and long-term friendships with chefs like Dan Britten, Nick Sinclair and Steve Drake mean that inspiration is never far away.
Quality farming plus quality butchery plus quality chefs is a formula he subscribes to and one that will encourage higher standards and more sustainable food production in the long run.
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