Anthony Bourdain calls it “The most beautiful butcher shop in the world.” And he’s not alone. This exquisitely appointed bespoke space – winner of The BoY Award (an International Retail Design Award in New York) – is about far more than what meets the eye. Behind the bronzed sausage door handles, mirrored cabinets and glass fronted dry-ageing room with a backlit wall of Himalayan salt bricks, is that which ultimately defines Victor Churchill: tradition and family history.
It stands as Australia’s oldest continually run butcher shop, dating back to the Churchill family, who founded it in 1876 and after which the store draws half its name. The other half belongs to Victor Puharich, a fourth generation butcher who emigrated to Australia from Croatia in the 1970s. Valuing family, hard-work and honesty above all else, Victor dedicated his life to mastering his craft. In 1996, this dedication culminated in the creation of Vic’s Premium Quality Meat and a business partnership with his son Anthony that continues today.
In that venture, Anthony forged close working partnerships with Australia's best producers, developing a true understanding of the methods involved in farming some of the
best meat in the world; necessary for anyone with ambitions of opening a butcher store of unprecedented quality. His vision was realised in 2009 when he launched Victor Churchill Fine Family Butcher, as a gift to his father. Anthony not only drew on global influences and inspirations to create this unique store, but infused them with passion, family, and the celebration of food.
Victor Churchill may have started from humble beginnings but it has evolved into an immersive experience in which every detail has been carefully curated. There is theatre, luxury and indulgence but above all there is dedication. Dedication to the craft of butchery.