Passionate butcher couple

In 1995, I, Emmy, together with my husband Lieven, took over my uncle’s butcher’s shop. A childhood dream came true! My favourite weekend days as a child were the ones when I got to help in Uncle Alex’s business. I was eager to take over the butchery and feed it with new ideas. Lieven, newly graduated butcher and equally passionate, saw in us not only the perfect match as a professional team, but also as partners. The rest is history.

Lieven has always been the professional who lovingly devoted himself to the butchery craft. My input and greatest satisfaction came mainly from letting my creativity run wild in the buffets, cheese and tapas boards. Bringing balance and colour to the presentation. With some help from Mother Nature thanks to fresh herbs and edible flowers from my father’s organic garden. Thus, our presentations became true works of art.

Unfortunately, the 26 years in a refrigerated room led to painful osteoarthritis in the hands. We were forced to abandon our life’s work.

But lo and behold, the love for tapas, brought us a new story: serving boards made from beef shoulder blades. A new life for the leftover material we use to make the boards, but also for us. This is how we stay connected to the passion for the butcher’s trade.

Emmy & Lieven van Level-2