Meet the Butcher – Julian Natrass
We caught up with Julian over a brew in Café Oswald’s, upstairs at the Cumbrian Food Hall in Penrith, to chat about his new role and his long-standing career at Cranstons.
Julian has been a butcher for over 35 years, gaining experience across the business as it’s grown and evolved. His own journey has developed alongside Cranstons’ – adapting to new ideas, new challenges, and a changing food landscape. Earlier this year, he stepped into a brand-new role: Butchery Excellence Lead. Over the course of our conversation, it became clear that while Julian might be modest about his achievements, he takes huge pride in his work – and even more pride in helping others get it right.
Q: Congratulations on your new role, Julian. Can you explain what ‘Butchery Excellence’ means – and what your day-to-day looks like?
A: It means I’ve built up a lot of knowledge over the years – and now I get to pass that on. I help train new and upcoming butchers, keep an eye on production, and make sure our standards are being met every time. That includes keeping track of training progress, ensuring every cut of meat is correct, and making sure all the paperwork’s in order – there’s a lot behind the scenes people don’t see. I still get spend time with the meat and the team, which I really enjoy.
Q: What part of the role are you most looking forward to?
A: Training new folk. It’s really important – Good training at the beginning gives you a solid foundation to build on. I want to make sure the next generation of butchers are just as good as the ones I’ve worked with over the last 35 years – and I’ve seen some great ones come and go.
Q: How does it feel to be trusted with passing on those skills?
A: It’s a huge compliment, to be honest. James, our Head of Supply, has put a lot of faith in me to oversee butchery standard across our Penrith Butchery Centre – and that means a lot. It’s pressure, but in a good way.
Q: What advice would you give to someone just starting out – and what skills should they focus on?
A: Listen. You’re learning from people who’ve started where you are and done the job for years – make the most of it. It takes time, but if you put the effort in, it’ll pay off. In terms of skills, I’d say focus on neatness, knife skills, and taking pride in your work. If you’ve got those, you’re off to a good start.
Q: What’s it like watching apprentices grow into skilled butchers?
A: It’s brilliant. We put a lot of time into training people, so when they do well, it makes you proud. You’ve got to be a mentor – share what you know and give them time to get it. Everyone makes mistakes – we’ve all been there – but that’s how you learn.
Q: Cranstons is developing a new apprentice programme – how will that help future butchers?
A: A: Peter, our Senior Retail Area Manager, is putting together a new apprenticeship programme, which I think is a brilliant step. Cranstons has supported apprentices for many years with great success, and this is a chance to refresh and build on that. Butchers are becoming a rare breed, so it’s important we invest in training properly.
The new setup will give apprentices more time in both Production and Retail, so they can get a feel for each area and figure out what suits them best. Some people thrive working with the public, others prefer to focus on the craft behind the scenes – they’re both important. My role is to guide them through that journey and make sure they’re learning the right way from day one.
Q: What do you think makes Cranstons beef so special?
A: It’s local, it’s handled with respect, and it’s dry aged for a minimum of 21 days. The dry-aging is like a science – we keep the temperature and humidity at a certain level to bring out the flavour. It gives it that rich, melt-in-the-mouth texture our customers love.
Q: What’s a typical day like at the Butchery Centre?
A: Every day’s a little different – we typically focus on Beef on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. We start by breaking down the whole carcass into ‘primals’ – larger joints like Sirloin On The Bone or Topside – which are then either finished in our shops or further cut in production.
We bone out for the shops, then prep meat for products like sausages and burgers. Once we’re finished, we clean everything down, then our hygiene team comes in to wash all the machines and pressure-wash the walls and floors.
There’s also a lot of paperwork involved – every step needs to be properly recorded, from the moment meat enters the factory to the moment it leaves. We need to be able to trace everything: where it came from, where it was slaughtered, and how it was processed.
Q: Why is it important for a business like Cranstons to break down whole carcasses instead of buying in pre-cut meat?
A: We choose to pay a premium for whole carcasses from trusted local farms, because we want the best quality beef and we believe in supporting our farming community. That money stays in the local economy and helps sustain high standards of livestock rearing.
If we bought in pre-cut meat, it would actually cost us even more – because you’re not just paying for the meat, you’re also paying for someone else’s processing, packaging, and profit. By butchering in-house, our skilled team can get the most from every animal and offer a wide range of cuts, all while keeping prices more manageable for our customers.
Q: What does ‘doing it properly’ mean to you?
A: It means taking pride in your work. You’ve got to treat it like it’s your own business – if I wouldn’t buy it, why should our customers? It’s not about rushing, it’s about respecting the meat, the farmers it’s come from, and ensuring the quality is there every single time.
Q: What do people often not realise about preparing beef?
A: How long it takes to learn. Cutting meat properly isn’t something you pick up overnight. Apprenticeships take two to two-and-a-half years – and becoming a Cranstons Master Butcher takes five. There’s years of experience behind every cut.
Q: Is there a particular product that shows off a butcher’s skill best?
A: Steaks. I can tell straight away if someone’s a decent butcher just by how they’re cutting steaks – whether it’s sirloin, fillet, ribeye. Getting the fillet and sirloin out clean is tricky, but very satisfying.
Q: What do you think customers are really paying for when they buy Cranstons beef?
A: Reassurance. You know it’s going to be good quality and locally sourced. You’re supporting local farmers and local jobs – and getting something decent for your money.
Quick Fire Round
Q: What’s the first thing you ever learned to butcher – and how did it go?
A: Pork forequarter, crosscutting. It didn’t go well! But that’s the point – you make mistakes, and you learn. Now it’s second nature, and I take pride in how fast and accurate I am.
Q: What’s one beef cut you wish more people would try?
A: Flat Iron. It’s got loads of flavour because it’s from a muscle that does more work – just don’t cook it past medium! Season it, oil the steak (not the pan), then sear it for 3 minutes on each side in a really hot griddle. Let it rest for a few minutes and enjoy, trust me!
Q: What do you enjoy most about coming into work?
A: The team. We’ve got a good bunch, we all have a laugh, and that makes the day go quicker – especially if your football team’s had a bad game and you’re getting stick all day!
Q: Outside of work, what keeps you busy?
A: I’ve got a wife and two daughters – they’ve supported me through every stage of my career (and probably heard more than they ever wanted to about beef cuts and boning techniques!). The girls are older now – 22 and 19 – so it’s not quite as cool to hang out with dad these days. These days, it’s our two lively cocker spaniels who keep me on my toes when I’m not at work, along with my wife.
Q: What’s your perfect Sunday roast – and who’s cooking it?
A: Roast Beef – Ribeye joint. I don’t mind who cooks it… as long as it’s not me!
Q: And finally, how would your teammates describe you in three words?
A: You’d have to ask them! (We did – reliable, honest, and likeable came out top.)