A popular Los Angeles butcher who championed animal welfare and ethical meat sourcing has died aged 44, it has emerged.
Jered Standing, owner of Standing’s Butchery in Hancock Park, was found dead in his home on February 22, Los Angeles Times reported. The newspaper said the Los Angeles County medical examiner ruled he had committed suicide.
The former vegetarian opened his butcher shop in 2017, which has since become one of the most popular butcher shops in Los Angeles.
Standing built his company focusing on sustainable sourcing and comprehensive butchery. He insisted on limiting waste by using every part of the animal and sourced his meat only from California farmers who prioritized “free-range habitats, heritage breeds, and all-pasture-based diets.”
The butcher, who also hosted the popular burger pop-up Burgers by Standing’s, had recently announced plans to open a second butcher shop and was reportedly aiming to open a restaurant, including a permanent home for his pop-up.
His death has shocked the Los Angeles food community, with many saying they have suffered a “tremendous loss” and will “dearly miss Standing.” Customers said he was a staple in their “daily routine” and that his store “made me feel at home” in the city.
Jered Standing, (pictured) owner of Standing’s Butchery in Hancock Park, was found dead in his home on February 22. The Los Angeles County medical examiner ruled that he had committed suicide.
The 44-year-old butcher championed animal welfare and ethical meat sourcing. Standing (pictured) opened his butcher shop in 2017, which has since become one of the most popular butcher shops in Los Angeles.
The former vegetarian operated his butcher shop with a zero-waste policy in which Standing used all parts of the animal, including selectively cut remains, bones and other by-products. He would use the less desirable meat parts in broths, chili, and dog food and treats.
Standing will be remembered for its careful meat sourcing, high-quality products, and incredible customer service.
All of its products, which included grass-fed beef and lamb, heritage-breed pork, and pasture-raised chicken and duck, came from California farmers with whom Standing had developed personal relationships.
His butcher shop operated under a zero-waste policy in which Standing used all parts of the animal, including selectively cut remains, bones and other byproducts. He would use the less desirable meat parts in broths, chili, and dog food and treats.
“We are very proud of our ability to utilize every part of the animal that comes in,” he said. Trip to Los Angeles in 2019. ‘We manufacture a wide and ever-changing range of sausages in-house, with unique flavors you won’t find anywhere else. And no one can come close to our level of service.’
Standing prioritized being a “hospitality business” and made an effort to “connect with our guests on a deeper level than just ‘customers,'” he previously said.
He would often stand behind the meat counter and interact directly with his customers, showing them his latest products or sausage flavors, as well as recommending cooking techniques for each cut of meat he had for sale.
Standing educated its customers about the importance of closed-loop farming, a practice that recycles all the nutrients and organic matter in the soil it grows in, and other sustainability principles by hosting butchery classes in the store and on its channels. social networks.
The Butcher also helped meat buyers debunk industry terminology and better understand what to look for when shopping at grocery stores or larger supermarket chains.
Standing built his company focusing on sustainable sourcing and comprehensive butchery. He insisted on limiting waste by using every part of the animal and sourced his meat only from California farmers who prioritized “free-range habitats, heritage breeds and exclusively grass-based diets.”
Standing prioritized being a “hospitality business” and made an effort to “connect with our guests on a deeper level than just ‘customers,'” he previously said. She often stood behind the meat counter, showing off her latest products or the flavor of the sausages, and recommended cooking techniques for each cut of meat she had for sale.
‘There are so many misleading words nowadays. “Natural” doesn’t really mean anything, and “organic” really just has to do with the food,” she said. Food and wine Many years ago. “All animal welfare aspects have recently been removed from organic certification, so this may still be a truly confined animal.”
He added: “Natural beef can still be grain-finished rather than entirely grass-fed, which means the animal may also have been sick for the last 100 days of its life.” So not only are you potentially buying a sick animal, but also a soft one.’
Standing’s customers have now taken to Instagram to leave heartfelt tributes to the butcher in his latest post, which was made in October 2022, ahead of his shop’s fifth anniversary.
‘A tremendous loss. You will be so ruined by so many. Rest in peace, my friend,” wrote a supporter today.
‘Jered, your store helped me get back into the meat eating game many years ago. You were always so sweet and generous with your time. We will miss you very much,’ echoed another.
One customer added: ‘Jered, you were such a bright light for me. Finding her store was one of the first things that made me feel “at home” when I moved to the neighborhood. His store has been a part of so many beautiful gatherings with friends and family. Thank you for nurturing us, we will miss you deeply.’
Standing’s customers have taken to Instagram to leave a heartfelt tribute to the butcher
‘Almost every Sunday for the past six years, you were part of my daily routine. Thanks to your knowledge and advice, I gained more confidence in the kitchen,” echoed another.
‘One of the best people in the Los Angeles food scene. I remember him helping me find amazing Halal goat meat for an event I had. He went out of his way to help me and I never forgot how sweet he was. Rest in peace, I am shocked by this news,” added a mourner.
Standing moved to Los Angeles in 2012 without a “plan or money,” he previously shared in an Instagram post. He bounced between sleeping on his friend’s couch or in his $500 Toyota Corolla.
He managed to get a life-saving $10-an-hour seasonal part-time job in a meat department, where he was eventually offered a full-time position. The position taught him the basics of butchery.
At the same time, he “worked for free” at a “nice little restaurant, learning how to break down whole animals,” he recalled. She also watched “endless hours of butchery videos” online to learn more about the industry.
About a year after landing his seasonal position, Standing became head butcher and general manager of another company.
“I was NOT qualified,” he said, adding that he had to “learn a lot for this new company.” It was during this time that he was inspired to start his own business.
Standing, who grew up eating free school lunches and worked a “series of low-paying jobs” since he was a teenager, eventually ran one of the most popular butcher shops in Los Angeles.
“My confidence was high, I was like, ‘Hey, I know how to run a butcher shop, I should open my own,” he said, noting that developing his own business was difficult and required a lot of hard work.
Standing, who grew up eating free school lunches and worked a “series of low-paying jobs” since he was a teenager, eventually ran one of the most popular butcher shops in Los Angeles.
‘I am an ambitious person. “That’s why I spend a lot of my time focused on the future,” he wrote in 2022, a month before Standing’s Butchery’s fifth anniversary.
‘Thinking about everything I want and still don’t have. But every once in a while I take time to look back and reflect. To see how far I’ve come.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.