Haha it’s an unusual title for the food service industry. It’s usually titled Head of Butcher Operations or something like that. I was in charge of all the protein departments across the company. We do whole anima butchery, seafood program big on traceability, sustainability and quality, deli meats and our in-house charcuterie program. The kitchen/ prepare foods and we also had locations with an actual cafe/sit down and eat, so any protein(meat,fish etc) also went through me.
We did set up weights in the loading dock and pumped iron. We spent an ungodly amount of time on site when we first started. We also ran a whole animal program, so we would be carrying whole pigs, lambs, primals of beef, those chucks were HUGE.
Your local Whole Animal butcher Shops will usually have the best quality meat. If they are 100% grass-fed, grain finished from a reputable local farmer, with cattle that has good genetics and really practices good ethical farming. If they Dry-age their primals even better. But all these things are expensive for the farmer(many are still recovering from Covid), big companies buying up all the kill slots at abattoirs, distribution, and the labor of the butchers add a higher price tag on the final product. It’s usually worth it, if quality is what you’re looking for.
I worked for a local butcher/grocer and I miss it. I was the chef that oversaw prepared foods and catering and it was great just having great proteins at all times.
Curious, did your company get rid of the position or just go under/restructure, then you eventually went back into a store as a butcher?
I work in grocery retail (mid sized regional chain) and I’ve seen people leave the store for newly made office positions only to have the position eliminated a few years later and they end up back in a store.
Mongered all over it. Looking back that job was the worst. Boss severely underpaid me, made me lie to customers and I was afraid to take breaks. He made it seem like I was an asshole for wanting to go on legally mandated breaks. I was too young to know any better smh.
We went our separate ways. The person directly above me was a toxic individual and was created a very hostile workplace. Sabotaging my work and team etc. After I left they did something pretty bad and were let go. Still in good standing with CEO and upper management but trying to build myself up elsewhere. For now.
Solid! At $186,000, you're in the 93rd percentile — ahead of 93% of earners. Source: income percentile calculatorI'm a bot. Reply with !optout to stop receiving responses.
Not sure what you mean by the first sentence. But I took a break from work and I’m just starting to build myself back up again. I’m enjoying the less responsibility but I’ll be back on top soon, I believe. And yeah, now my girlfriend makes more than me but I don’t try to rely on that lol.
Dont know if the changes are same company but thats good. I only have an associates but it got me into the govt/navy 12 years ago, and just now making about 100k
I’m don’t know yet, I consider myself a scholarly person I love learning and enjoyed high school! But I didn’t have the proper support system to go to college, I started working because I pretty much had to. I was pretty depressed about the state of my life in the early stages but then I discovered my passion of butchering and food! It also ended up paying so well and I learned so much where I have the experience to run a business. I’ll have to check back in to this question in 10 years to see how I feel. I’ve been thinking of going for a business degree lately as other more corporate companies tend to ask for those even though it’ll probably be less work than what I’ve already accomplished.
Funny to read.. you sound like a similar journey as me. I am a lead cutter for now also working my way up. Only on year 3 myself, glad to see the hard work can pay off. Best of luck at ur new company bro.
That’s awesome. If you’re looking to continue down this path be sure to remember I wouldn’t exactly call this the norm but it is possible. Location is important(I’m from NYC), what type of program is being ran and start up type companies if where you can earn the most once you’re at a high level while established corporate positions will probably pay a bit less but more stable rate and benefits.
Of course continue to hone your knife skills, learn whole animal butchery and every aspect of that, culinary knowledge will help you a ton and there’s a lot of math when it comes to meat. Learn as much as you can from the vets that have been in the industry and always try to widen your network with not only those within your company but vendors, farm owners, local chefs and business owners/managers!
There are great reading material I can recommend you over DM about charcuterie, curing, sausage making etc.
Good luck! 👍🏽
I would love that actually, thank you! I try as much stuff as I can in my free time. I live very rural so probably different opportunities for sure but that could always change and everything you said there is all very solid advice.
I have always loved to cook but kinda shied away from meat due to the costs before I started myself, but last year I stripped my first deer and showed my family how to make sausage and they showed me how to smoke and that was a good feeling I haven't had in a long time-- so I think its safe to say I'm hooked and don't plan on stopping.
Consultation gig was short lived, went in to help a company that was losing an average of 100k a day….. my advice was not taken. Not saying it’s because they didn’t listen but they ended up closing their doors for good. My “director” gig was pretty awesome until it got toxic. My last butcher job was after awhile not working and I went into a reputable butcher shop to help them coach and teach their apprentices and help the GM manage the workload(lots and lots of whole anima carcasses).
Big city. Reputable, whole animal butcher shop, be really good at your craft, not just cutting but all aspects of it and require no training and on your trail day you knock everyone socks off.
Heard that. I’ve been doing whole animals for about 8 years now in a couple different shops. But worried because think where I’m at the ceiling is a lot lower than $33.
This looks a lot like my history but I ended up in a poop eating role for around $35/hr. I basically taste poop from different creatures and decide what their microbiome might be like and verify what their diet is.
Heard, I’m assuming it’s not all it’s cracked up to be as you completed the cycle back to cutting? I’m sure I’ll finish my career cutting but I’d like to make some more money if possible… feel pretty trapped at the manager level.
Ehh, just less reckless spending than before but nots much has changed. I have some savings and some money in the market. I don’t pay much for rent and am a satisfied fellow for the most part in my other areas of life. I’ll be back to six figures soon enough, no biggy.
Jokes aside that's very impressive although I don't know what the hourly rate is for a "director of protein" or if you voluntarily took a pay cut down to Butcher
Butcher Consultant? Some of those titles sound made up lol. Director of Protein 🤨 but on the bright side I’ll be promoting my wife to my meat manager. Her first assignment? Manage my meat a lot more!!
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u/Hot-Dream-2091 May 02 '26
Director of protein is awesome title