Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren & Chris Gass.
Hi Lauren & Chris, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
We met working at a similar Butcher & Deli in Wilmington, NC back in 2015. Although our careers took us to different restaurants, we worked together long enough to know we wanted to work as a team in perpetuity. We knew we would always open something of our own we just didn’t know what or when. 2020 brought change, and we decided moving to Nashville, TN was the best possible career move for both of us. Lauren quickly stepped into a Sous Chef position at the esteemed southern restaurant Husk. While Chris worked under the award winning Sean Brock and after that took an Executive Chef job at Hathorne. Fast forward 3 years and we have one little girl, another one on the way which initiated our move back to NC. While here Chris worked for Raleigh chef Scott Crawford, while Lauren took on the role of cooking for two tougher critics at home (our daughters). The real reason behind this place is creating a better life for our girls, working closer to home, less hours, building a legacy to pass on to them. After becoming parents you’ll give anything to be in your children’s life as much as possible, and that’s the goal with Bellow Butcher.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, this industry is difficult, it’s even more difficult to balance this career with being a parent. Burnout, exhaustion, apathy have been words both of us have used to describe our paths here, but that was the driving force for opening this.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Chris: We are going to specializing in hand cut meats: beef and pork, charcuterie, some artisanal products, but we have a sneaking suspicion that our sandwiches will be a big hit. I’ve never really deemed myself as having an overall specialty I like to think I’m scrappy and a jack of all cuisines. I’m proud of the seriousness that I have put towards getting here.
Lauren:
Over the years I’ve worked in several jobs and cuisines but I always found the jobs I like most were butchering meats. It was hard knowing that I would be leaving the high-energy work of a busy dinner service on the hotline. When I returned to Husk after my maternity leave I only worked two days a week but did primarily butchery. The quiet moments before the kitchen got busy when I could just focus on my work were always so zen. I think overall, what sets us apart is that we love what we do so much that we were willing to risk a lot to go out on our own. I think that shared passion will be evident in our food and our shop.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I don’t think either of us knows, we are going to find out what Wendell wants and let that kind of dictate the business. We’re not necessarily trying to change the game, just fill a necessary void. People need a good, local butcher they can trust and we want to be able to adjust our offerings to what this specific community wants.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bellowbutcher.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellowbutcherco
- Facebook: Facebook.com/bellowbutcherco
