Melissa Blease talks to Bath butcher Peter Milton of Larkhall Butchers, about his rise from Saturday boy to business owner…
Peter Milton grew up on a farm just a short walk away from Larkhall. When he was 12 he took a Saturday job working at Larkhall Butchers.
And, as is usually the case with junior Saturday staff, he started his informal apprenticeship doing whatever the big boy butchers asked him to do. But as is also often the case with smart, ambitious young folk, Peter was eventually given more responsibility as he eagerly picked up all the necessary trade secrets and enrolled for additional training schemes and courses in order to learn even more.
Last October, when Peter’s former boss Gene Aylett started making retirement plans, his young protégé secured himself a loan and bought the business – yup, the former Saturday boy bought the business; don’t you just love that kind of story? Today, at just 23 years old, Peter wins the prize for being the youngest Food Hero to date.
Peter’s modest about his achievements: “I have a photo of a butchers in Larkhall dating back to 1902, so I can’t claim to have brought anything new to the area by buying the shop. And in a way, I’ve had a very easy ride for a new owner. I know the shop inside out and it’s already earned a fantastic reputation, so I suppose my mission is to continue to supply the highest quality food – and, if possible, to even increase that quality.
“Because my family has been farming in the local area for many decades, I’m able to use our contacts to source even more local produce in areas where I thought we could improve, all with resounding success so far.
“The locals are the best bunch of people you could meet: supportive, friendly and welcoming. It’s incredible to see generation after generation of a family shopping and sharing parts of their lives with us with us – I love everything about what Larkhall Butchers is and does.”
On my most recent visit to the shop, there was Otter Valley chicken from Honiton alongside a range from Castlemead Poultry near Radstock. There was Creedy Carver duck up for grabs too, and organic Dexter Beef from Stream Farm near Bridgewater, and fresh fish from former Bath Magazine Food Hero Rob Wing (Wings of St Mawes), along with Stornaway black pudding, Spanish chorizo and Italian prosciutto adding further fascinating foodie inspirations – but hang on; Scotland, Italy and Spain are hardly local to Bath, are they?
Peter says he’s keen to give customers what they’re looking for: “Customers these days often have items such as chorizo and prosciutto on their weekly shopping list. As much as I love working with trusted local suppliers, when it comes to specific, high quality produce that by necessity needs to be sourced further afield, you can rest assured that exactly the same standards of provenance apply to everything we sell, right across the board.”
So what’s more important to Larkhall Butchers’ customers: provenance or price? “Since my early Saturday job days, there’s definitely been an increase in the demand for responsibly sourced food, and people have a growing awareness of issues such as GM feed and animal welfare techniques.
Because we know our suppliers so well, we can always offer an educated response to questions regarding provenance. But because value for money is so important too, we make sure that savings don’t have to mean any compromise in quality, and we take great pleasure in introducing people on a limited budget to some of the most amazing cuts of meat.
“Because supermarkets tend to offer a limited range of fresh meat usually representing the most popular cuts (steaks; chops; legs; mincemeat; etc), many people aren’t even aware of the affordable, lesser-known cuts that represent incredible value and are packed with flavour – until, that is, a TV chef puts the spotlight on, say, ox cheek, or short ribs, or belly pork; then the rush is on at the counter.”
Long-term customers will be pleased to hear that Peter doesn’t have any plans for changing the overall friendly and welcoming atmosphere of the shop. There’s a little bit of modernisation in terms of a gradual refit in the pipeline and plans for a stronger online/social media presence, but other than that, it’s business as usual at Larkhall Butchers. Our marvellous meat man has, however, introduced one new element that fits well with the shop’s existing ethos.
“Our support of the work of the Jamie’s Farm charity is really important to me,” says Peter. “I can’t stress enough how great is the work they do with inner city children, many of whom have been regularly excluded from school. The charity gives those kids the opportunity to work on a real farm. Having taken for granted the luxury (and hardships too) of growing up on a local farm myself, I have first hand experience of how the skills you develop there can translate into later life. Please, check Jamie’s Farm out (see information below); they really make a difference – plus, the farm’s meat is second to none.”
So, other than Jamie’s Farm, who else would our June Food Hero like to offer hero status to?
“I’m a great fan of innovative chefs, and we’re lucky to have so many kitchen superstars on our doorstep. I love the innovations that Sam Moody (The Bath Priory), Chris Staines (Allium Restaurant), David Campbell (The Royal Crescent) and Gordon Jones (Menu Gordon Jones) bring to the Bath culinary scene – they all create fabulous dishes made with fantastic ingredients that I would never have even considered combining, and fly the flag for local produce in style.
“I see some great dishes from the likes of Jack Scaterfield at the Beaufort just down the road from Larkhall too, and from our own local MasterChef Ping Coombes.
My personal food hero Christophe Lacroix brings me glorious French dishes from Ma Cuisine, just across the road from the shop, to help get me through the working day.”
When the working day is over, what will Peter be putting on his own at-home menu this summer? “The barbecue will be put to very good use. Spatchcock chicken is a no-fail choice: just let the flames burn the bone and the heat will go through and cook the chicken perfectly. I also love butterflied, barbecued leg of lamb. You can take off succulent slices from the outside as it cooks if you can’t wait too long.
Thick cut pork ribs are fantastic with a nice rich glaze on them. For a cheat’s route to barbecue success, you can always roast meat slowly in the oven until it’s cooked through, then use the flames to quickly sear and caramelise the glaze.”
Even if rain stops play and you’re all out of food ideas, few could visit Larkhall Butchers and leave empty handed.
Not sure what your centrepiece roast will be this Sunday, or what’s on the next dinner party menu, or how you’re going to feed the family fast this evening? Go and have a chat to Peter, our latest food hero.
Larkhall Butchers, 1 Lambridge Buildings, Larkhall, Bath. Tel: 01225 313987; web: larkhallbutchers.co.uk. For further information on Jamie’s Farm, visit: jamiesfarm.org.uk.
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