Being a butcher is hardly a glamorous job in any country — unless you are Hugo Desnoyer. No ordinary meat merchant, his business in Paris counts numerous Michelin-starred chefs among its customers, including Pierre Gagnaire, Alain Passard and Pascal Barbot.
Now he has opened a shop in Tokyo's Ebisu neighborhood, his first move outside of France. It is a retail store with a "meat bar" tasting counter and a second-floor sit-down restaurant, all serving premium beef that he air-freights from France.
Shortly before opening on Nov. 4, he spoke with The Japan Times about his rigorous quality standards and his support for organic, small-scale farming.