Tastemaker

Sarah Kelly: ‘My motto for life? Get out there and live it. Do it all. Keep going until you drop’

The owner of the Village Butcher in Ranelagh on her favourite comfort food, her ideal dinner party guests and humanity’s most useless invention

Sarah Kelly, co-owner of the Village Butcher in Ranelagh in Dublin: ‘It’s great to see barbecuing taking off. I don’t get too caught up in trying to get the perfect cook. I’m not too fussed about it hitting the exact temp, as long as it’s in the ballpark area and the food is enjoyable.’ Picture: Killian Broderick

It’s a busy time of year for Sarah Kelly, co-owner of the Village Butcher in Ranelagh in Dublin with her husband Michael. Now is the time when customers are arriving in their droves in search of meat to fill their grills, and their inviting premises offers everything from the best Himalayan salt dry-aged beef to Cotes du Boeuf, tomahawks, porchetta, wild garlic, chilli-marinated lamb rump and their popular gourmet sausages. The Village Butcher has recently introduced nationwide delivery, with a minimum order of €25 required. Dublin delivery is priced from €7.99 and nationwide delivery from €13.99.

What was your earliest ambition?

I used to play shop in our kitchen growing up, so I think I always had the ambition to work in retail, serving customers.

Did your Leaving Cert matter, in the end?

I didn’t sit my Leaving Cert, but I do think having an education does give you better options, so it is something I would encourage others to do. I am sure I would have had more opportunities and doors opened if I had continued in education and training. But the academic route is not for everyone, and it certainly didn’t suit me. Hard work and graft can make up for it.

What’s a scent that you associate with your childhood?

Scents from around the home, my mother’s perfume or hairspray or Sunday morning and the smell of cabbage wafting through the house. Something I detested then, but love now.

How did you get to the career you’re in now?

I wanted to leave school and had to get a job. My neighbour’s son had a butcher shop and gave me a job. Purely accidental, but I loved it.

When you look back, was there one particular moment in life that led you to pick your current career? What was it?

I worked in several butcher’s shops and always saw ways to improve trade, including new ideas and new products, but I never had the chance to put it into practice. When I met my now husband, we decided to open our own shop. That was the beginning for me. It was a complete free licence to try new things and change how things were done.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

I’m more introverted as I get older. I find I need less and enjoy the quiet moments at home. A handful of good friends mean more to me than hundreds of acquaintances. Having said that, I do talk to people all day long every day, so I suppose a bit of both.

What’s your motto for life?

Get out there and live it, do it all. Keep going until you drop. I still have so many plans and things I want to do. I don’t know how I’ll fit it all in, so I intend to keep going right up until the end.

Where was the best meal you ever had out – and what was it?

Michael and I once stumbled across a lovely little restaurant in Marbella along the sea; it was the first time we had both tried lobster. It was incredible, so fresh and light. It definitely was the beginning of my love affair with seafood.

Which five famous guests would you love to have at your dinner party?

I would say the old Hollywood greats: Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Bette Davis, James Cagney. True icons from the films I grew up with.

What’s your top tip for barbecuing this summer?

Barbecuing has become a very serious thing for a lot of people in this country. It has become a hobby that people are spending a lot of time on. They have invested in smokers and Green Eggs [the ceramic charcoal grill loved by Michelin chefs], and have built outdoor ovens and sheds just to cook in. It’s great to see it taking off. I don’t get too caught up in trying to get the perfect cook. I’m not too fussed about it hitting the exact temp, as long as it’s in the ballpark area and the food is enjoyable. Simple cooks can be the best. I love a good burger as much as a good steak, which is why we have created such a vast range of burgers. Smash them, stack them, melt your cheese and add your toppings, and you’ve got a really good substantial meal.

What’s humanity’s most useless invention?

Designer brands, clothes, handbags, etc. It’s ridiculous money for something with someone else’s name on it. I understand having nice things, but the desire to be branded in every way baffles me.

What’s a personality trait that you admire in others?

Patience. I have more now as I am getting older. I used to be in an awful hurry and didn’t have any. I have learned the art of sitting back and letting things fall into place.

What’s your comfort food?

Stews, soups, casseroles: anything that can be served in a bowl and you need to eat with a spoon. A good, long, slow cook so the whole house fills with the aroma and you just can’t wait to dig in.

What’s your favourite show on television/streaming currently?

The telly is awful at the minute. I love a good crime/detective/murder series. My favourites are Breaking Bad and The Wire. I’m currently watching Bosch on Amazon, but it’s not up to the same standard.

What do you wish you could be better at?

So many things! Singing, drawing, sewing. I’m really rubbish at these.

You’re buying a new item for your home – assuming money is no object, what are you getting?

A hot tub. After a long day at work, there’s nothing like a soak and a glass of bubbles to unwind. I have had the pleasure of doing so a couple of times while away and I loved it. Pure luxury and indulgence.

Can you remember a line of poetry?

Not a single one. Probably my most hated subject in school!

Your home is burning down – what item would you rescue before fleeing the building?

I don’t get attached to things. Once my family and the dog are out, I really wouldn’t care.

Are you a dog or cat person?

We have always had dogs, but I hold nothing against cats.

What’s your party piece?

God, I don’t have one now, I can’t remember the last time I was at a party. It used to be singing an Eddi Reader song called Perfect.

What’s your most unappealing habit?

I can procrastinate a bit over very simple things sometimes.

What’’s a good piece of advice?

Failures are good lessons to look back and learn from.

What do you wish you’d known at an earlier point in your career?

Timing matters.

What is something you’re proud of?

My family, my home. We have worked very hard together to build a happy family life and business.

What’s your favourite day of the week and why?

On Saturday, I get up early, the house is quiet, and have a coffee. I have a workout, potter around the house, walk the dog and listen to a podcast. It’s the only day I get to myself and do my own thing.

Is there an afterlife?

I’m not religious at all. I don’t give too much thought to what’s coming afterwards, I prefer to focus on the here and now.

What’s your idea of happiness?

A stress-free life is my idea of happiness. The bills paid, everyone healthy and well. A gin and tonic sitting in the garden in the evening is a nice feeling when you don’t have too many worries.

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