Painswick chef Matt Black brings a taste of the Czech Republic to the Cotswolds by holding a butchery demonstration and meal with local foodies at St Michael’s Bistro.

The event mirrors an annual Czech tradition of nurturing a pig and then preparing it’s meat to get through the harsher winter months.

Matt Black, Chef and co-owner of St Michael’s Bistro said:

Painswick is surrounded by such quality produce I wanted to hold an event to showcase these products and reflect on the importance of animal welfare and provenance when sourcing. I felt that the first step to achieving this would be to encourage people to look at the whole animal combining my wife’s rich culture and heritage – PigFest.

Local foodies booked their place on the course and watched the experienced local chef Matt Black at work as he demonstrated how to divide up the pig and then cooked each section preparing and celebrating the life of the pig by sharing altogether in the feast.

Magda Black wife of chef and co-owner of the restaurant said:

We are thrilled that our Pigfest was successful, it really took me back to my childhood in the Czech Republic where we bought a pig at the start of the year, named it, played with it and then just before the end of the year we prepared the pig to get us through the winter. The grown-ups drank Slivovitz to toast the pig. Pigfest reminds me of wonderful feasts with my family as a child.”

Matt and Magda are repeating the event in November this time with Dexters Beef, where Meat lovers will get to learn how to butcher their animal from nose to tail and understand and identify each cut of meat and how to apply the appropriate cooking technique.

David Milner, Painswick resident, when asked whether he enjoyed the session replied:

I don’t know where to start: the butchering, the people, the food… We shop as a family at Stroud Market every Saturday and buy a lot of meat from local friends, so our children understand the importance of shopping locally and seasonally. We also involve them in cooking and talk to them about different cuts of meat, fish, and vegetables.

Richard Allen, engineer and father, when asked about what his family thinks of his interest in butchery and cooking “They love it from homemade bacon and sausage to smoking our own salmon.”

Richard continued “I really enjoyed the opportunity to swap recipes, ideas and new techniques, and watching a true master at work who made it look so easy.”

St Michaels Bistro will be running another butchery/cooking course called ‘DexterFest’ which will be held on Sunday 12th November and Sunday 19th November 4-9pm. To book your place or receive further information on future events please email: [email protected].

Everyone welcome from novice to experienced cook!