About

At the age of 10 I, Hannah Miller, knew I wanted to work with food. Specifically, I wanted to be a chef but more on that later. Born in Portland, Oregon (USA) I was keen to see more of the world, so when I heard that The Culinary Institute of America had a worldwide reputation for excellence, I knew it was the place for me. While there I met British chef Fergus Henderson, at a guest lecture, and my worldview completely changed. He spoke of the concept of nose-to-tail dining, and intrigued, I had to know more. Growing up in a pretty “meat and potatoes” family I’d never thought about what happened to the “odd bits” left behind from eating a steak, so I decided then and there that upon finishing culinary school, I was moving to London.

And so, my love of travel and food combined. Upon graduation, I landed a position at the Paternoster Chophouse in London and it was there my butchery career began. Paternoster had a semi-retired master butcher named Eddie on staff, and as I was eager to learn all things “nose-to-tail” it wasn’t long before I found myself coming in early to learn from him. Eddie took me under his experienced wing and spent hours sharing his endless wisdom with me. I’ll never forget the first time I saw him find the joint in a side of beef. He just stuck in his knife and it was there. I was amazed. It seemed like magic and from there I fell in love with the whole process. It was so different from cheffing; the quiet, calm, and coolness. Zen.

This zen steadily grew into a study of the meat I was preparing. It wasn’t just the process, it was the connection between the meat (this animal) and the food it was becoming. It was my awakening; what did it mean to eat sustainably? to eat consciously? I was recently quoted as saying, “You have to have respect for that animal, for the life that’s been taken. For me, that means nothing goes in the bin – everything is used, which in turn is the most sustainable approach.” This sums up my sentiment from that day ‘till now.

Upon leaving London, I sought guidance and adventure. it was time for a new quest. A summer in the Alaskan wilderness brought me up close and personal with not only grizzlies, but a new-found appreciation for what it means to “catch your supper”. From there I took a position as a chef in Antarctica. It was here my resolve for sustainability was really tested, finally leading me to be vegetarian for 4 months as my principles wouldn’t allow me to eat the commodity meats we were cooking. Landing in Australia, after trying to find the warmest place on the map, I took a position at the Merrijig Inn (Port Fairy, VIC). It was here the nickname “lady butcher” was coined. Working under the dynamic duo, Liz & Tan, my passion for charcuterie grew. Upon learning I could butcher, they immediately brought in a pig from a nearby biodynamic farm, built a drying cupboard, and I was off. Prosciuttos hanging in the salty ocean air to dry? Perfection.

Little known fact.. I never planned to leave Australia! Shh.. But, when the time came, I decided upon a return to the USA to hone my skills under a master charcutiere in Washington DC. A year later and ready for my next step, at the age of 29, I applied for a working holiday visa in New Zealand. I was in luck and upon landing in Auckland at 5am, I had a job interview at 1pm and the rest is history.

That was five years ago. As a lover of meat and passionate consumer of it, my business, A Lady Butcher, came out of a desire for better charcuterie (cured meats) in New Zealand. Back then it was nearly impossible to eat New Zealand charcuterie. It was mostly imported which seemed insane (to me) as New Zealand has some of the best quality meat in the world. There was nothing to be done but cure meats myself.

A homekill pig and my boyfriend’s beer fridge was all I needed. I had the experience. But, as his love for me grew and the space for his beers didn’t, things came to a head and for Christamas he bought me my first official drying fridge (a wine fridge which I then converted). From there it wasn’t long before we had more meat than we could eat, and I tested out my wares on a couple of Auckland’s top chefs. Would they be keen to have traditionally made, Italian-style New Zealand charcuterie on their menus? The answer was “yes” and A Lady Butcher was born.

Three years on, not much has changed. A Lady Butcher’s passion is to create “purposeful meats”. We encourage our customers to consider their food when choosing where to dine or what to buy from the butcher. Can its origin be traced and how was it raised? We source all of the meat for our charcuterie directly from the farmers. This way, we not only develop relationships with our farmers but ensure full traceability of our meats. My husband (that boyfriend mentioned earlier) often comments that I speak to my pig farmer more than him! I know them, and in turn their pigs. This one in particular has a private beach for their pigs. Lucky, right?

Our range, which includes moorish delights like Southland Lamb Prosciutto, Free Range Pancetta, and New Zealand Wagyu Bresaola, are currently available at specialty retailers nationwide, but I’m always looking to expand. For me, it’s about more than just the meat. The meat is a vessel from which we can tell the New Zealand story. I teach butchery and charcuterie classes, present in schools, and offer tastings in my local retailers. Each of these endeavours are about educating Kiwis on the foods they are eating. We, New Zealanders, should be proud of our produce. It is pure and the world has come to seek it. I use Organic Marlborough sea salt and foraged herbs & spices from Central Otago to cure all of our meats and to me this is a no-brainer. Upon moving to New Zealand, I never expected to truly see the clean and green New Zealand that is presented in the pamphlets, and now that I call this place my home, I’m so proud to verify that these pamphlets were right.

So, enjoy our meat; their natural unadulterated flavours, and thank your famers, for without them, none of this would be possible.

Chur!
Hannah Miller (Childs)

The Lady of A Lady Butcher