I was born in 1961 on a farm in Tunbridge Wells, moving to Mr Mortimer’s farm near Hook Norton when I was 2yrs old. This is where I was introduced to pigs for the first time, Back then I thought pigs were like us, bi-pedal!! As the only time I saw them was with there arms! ( front legs) over the stable door waiting to be fed.
We then moved to Mapledurham . where my father was foreman on one of Bob Becroft’s farms, this was pig production on a grand scale where I very soon found out pigs had four legs and teeth!!
When my parents split up when I was ten my Mother, sister and myself moved to Common Farm, Highworth. The place I still think of as home and where I lived for the next 45 years, this is where I was fortunate enough to meet the man that inspired me and became a father figure John Manners. This is where I learnt about the natural way to rear animals and my start to my life passion for food production. When I was 14 I started as a Saturday boy at Joe Reason Butchers this started me on the long road to where I find myself today via catering college, to various Restaurants and Hotels two of which were awarded Michelin stars, to owning my own butchery business with my brother in-law, a sabbatical into the fish industry. Until about 10 years ago I took a complete tangent and found myself involved in facilities management. Now following a period of poor health, I have finally come back to my senses, I have realised that you pass this wonderful place but once, therefore you should do what feels right and with the help and support of my wonderful partner, family and good friends, I am going to invest all my Knowledge and passion for great food into The Cotswold Charcuterie. With the simple ethos of using the best to produce the best, we intend to uphold and honour this most ancient of food preservation skills, but also hope to evolve it a little further. So, we think that good honest food from local farmers desiring to keep the original local pigs ( the Oxford Sandy and Black, Gloucester Old Spot and the Berkshire Black) Blood lines pure and un adulterated, should be encouraged and the only way to this is to make sure there is a market and purpose for them. Please join us to help ensure this and at the same time enjoy some wonderful produce.
Thankyou
Founder of The Cotswold Charcuterie.