Butchers win meaty contract with celebrity chef

CELEBRITY chef Jamie Oliver will be serving his clientele top quality lamb and pork from the Paddock Farm Butchery in Brailes which is run by brothers Jon and Nick Francis.

The news further strengthens Jon and Nick’s ties to top chef’s in London; they already supply meat to Raymond Blanc, Mark Hicks and Fergus Henderson and it’s all down to word of mouth.

“We had previously worked with Simon Henbury at Ace Hotel London. He’s now moved to Jamie Oliver’s new high-end barbeque restaurant Barbecoa and recommended us as a supplier. We’ve been fortunate to work with Jamie Oliver’s restaurants in St Pauls and Piccadilly,” said Nick.

The Barbecoa sources the best British meats which is then cooked over an Argentinian open fire grill. Paddock Farm Butchery is supplying local lamb and rare-breed pork from its own herd of Tamworth pigs.

“We’re extremely proud to be supplying such a high profile chef,” said Nick. “I was massively inspired by Jamie Oliver when I was learning to cook so he’s been a big influence on me. It’s a great honour to be picked out to supply his new flagship restaurant.

“Our ethos is all about working with the best possible animals, whether they’ve come off our farm or our trusted neighbours, and it’s great that they share our approach at Barbecoa. I can’t wait to go and have dinner there myself.”

The brothers had to undergo a stringent auditing process before they were chosen by Jamie Oliver to supply him with meat reared in south Warwickshire.

“We’ve worked hard to get where we are and much of our success is based on recommendations by word of mouth,” said Nick.