Job Summary
Group of award-winning Restaurants based in Rosebank is looking for a Master Butcher based at their Central Kitchen. This is a dual role responsible for dry ageing, premium portioning ; and cuts that meet fine dining standards for their restaurants as well as developing and producing a range of butchery products for their retail units ; marinated cuts, ready-to-braai packs, burger patties, steak boxes, and signature products that customers cannot get at a supermarket. We want someone who sees retail meat not as offcuts and leftovers, but as a product line worth building properly. Duties: Full carcass and primal breakdown – beef, lamb, pork, poultry Run the dry ageing and wet ageing programme: temperature, humidity, rotation, trimming, yield tracking Portion and prepare restaurant cuts to spec – consistency, weight accuracy, presentation Develop and produce a retail meat range for stores – marinated cuts, burger patties, braai packs, steak boxes, signature value-added products Own retail product quality: vacuum sealing, packaging, labelling, shelf-life management, and presentation standards Maximise yield across both channels – what doesn’t go to the restaurant becomes premium retail, not waste Manage stock rotation, cold chain, and minimise shrinkage across all protein lines Train and supervise junior butchers on cutting standards, production consistency, and food safety Work with management on costing, yield percentages, and new product development Maintain HACCP compliance, hygiene standards, and equipment care Requirements: Qualified master butcher with 10+ years in a production or fine dining environment Expert knowledge of beef primal cuts, grading, and portioning (SA and international standards) Proven dry ageing and wet ageing experience Experience developing retail-ready meat products – marinades, value-added lines, consumer packaging Understanding of yield management – tracking inputs vs outputs and optimising use of every cut Strong food safety knowledge – HACCP, cold chain, hygiene compliance Ability to lead and train a team to a consistent daily standard Physical fitness – hands-on, on your feet, cold environment Multi-outlet experience – supplying several venues from one central facility Charcuterie; biltong, curing, or smoking experience Experience with ERP or stock systems for ordering and inventory Understanding of coal-fire and wood-fire cooking and how it affects cut selection On offer: Working for one of South Africa’s most respected meat brands to work with Full ownership of the meat programme across fine dining and retail Freedom to develop and launch new retail product lines A purpose-built Central Kitchen facility Market-related salary with growth as the group expands