Staff › Victor Churchill – Fine Family Butcher. Est 1876

Meat the team at Victor Churchill

Making sure you enjoy your time at Victor Churchill is why our dedicated team get out of bed before the sun is up, turn on the lights, fill the fridges with delicious treats and check on the dry aging meat! Our team of industry professionals at Victor Churchill will turn your visit into an experience ‘par excellence’ – much more than just an average trip to your local butcher!

With chefs who have worked alongside some of the world’s finest, to foodies who have travelled the world and our long-term, meat industry professionals – you will be hard pressed to find such an amazing depth of knowledge or a more passionate team of gourmands – all waiting to serve you!

Laurent Cuvat

Laurent joins the Victor Churchill team from Lyon in France. The day Laurent met with Superstar Chef Paul Bocuse, at the age of eleven, he knew cooking was his passion. Training in London’s top restaurants including ‘The Square’, ‘Glasshouse’ and under Alain Ducasse at ‘Monte’s Club’ Laurent perfected his skills and his passion for cooking grew. On a visit to Sydney Laurent fell in love with the harbour, the people (the women in particular) and the food. You will find Laurent working in our kitchen at Victor Churchill and always happy to show visitors around or help out with a tricky recipe.
Lynsey Coughlan

Hailing from the Emerald Isle, and with a decade of hospitality experience behind her – including front of House Manager for Intercontinental Hotels and Assistant Operations Manager for Jurysdoyle Hotel Group, Lynsey set out to explore culinary pastures new and found herself in Sydney. The last 14 months have seen Lynsey finesse her gourmet skills in one of Queen Street’s best loved foodie institutions. It was inevitable then, with her love and knowledge of food, a desire to impart this knowledge to others and a need to exceed expectations, that she should find her way to the bastion of gastronomy that is Victor Churchill.
Victor Puharich

Victor Puharich comes from a long line of butchers. His grandfather, father and brothers were all butchers in Croatia, where he was born. However, it was not until Vic arrived in Sydney in 1971 and began working with his brother for a meat exporter that he knew being a butcher was what he wanted to do in life.

After working in the butchering industry for more than 20 years Vic opened his own butcher store on Oxford Street, Sydney in 1996. In 1999 Vic and his son Anthony decided to change the direction and grow Vic’s Premium Quality Meat from a retail shop to a meat wholesaler. Getting bigger required a willingness to change and to invest. In 1999, Vic’s Premium Quality Meat moved to a new purpose-built building in Mascot, with state-of-the-art cool rooms, cutting floors and packing rooms, as well as a dedicated dry-age beef room, for specialist beef products for restaurants.

Victor, a master butcher was inducted into the Food Hall of Fame in October 2007 <hyperlink to http://www.vicsmeat.com.au/files/media/SydneyMag_Food_Hall_of_Fame_09_07.pdf>. Victor, after so many years in the meat industry, still loves to butcher meat to the highest of standards and to share his knowledge and passion with his customers.

Victor Puharich comes from a long line of butchers in Croatia, where he was born.

Vic opened his own butcher store on Oxford Street, Sydney in 1996. In 1999 Vic and his son Anthony grew Vic’s Premium Quality Meat from a retail shop to a meat wholesaler. Vic’s Meat moved to a purpose-built building in Mascot, with state-of-the-art cool rooms, cutting floors, packing rooms and a dedicated dry-age room.

Victor was inducted into the Food Hall of Fame in October 2007. He still loves to butcher meat to the highest of standards and share his knowledge and passion with his customers.
Anthony Puharich

Anthony Puharich, along with his Father, grew Vic’s Premium Quality Meat from a retail shop on Oxford St, Sydney to an international meat wholesaler.

Anthony Puharich completed a finance and economics degree at Queensland’s Bond University, before realising that his entrepreneurial skills could be better put to use in the family business. He has grown the Vic’s Meat brand internationally, and was instrumental in the re-birth of Victor Churchill. Anthony has featured in many of the country’s top food magazines, ABC radio, ‘Fresh’ on Channel 9, and is recognised as one of the leading voices in the industry.
Romeo Baudouin

Romeo, a native Frenchman, has over 18 years experience in the business. Originally trained in Brittany, France, Romeo took his skills to Harrods in London where he produced their charcuterie. After a few years Romeo moved into some of the best restaurants and worked with some of the best in both London and Sydney (Marco Pierre White’s Mirrabell in London and in Sydney at Guillaume at Bennelong) and as Head Chef at GPO Restaurants and Bars.

Prior to Victor Churchill, Romeo ran his own successful charcuterie business which worked closely with Vic’s Premium Quality Meat.
Erica Goldfinch

Erica has been managing hotels, bars and restaurants across Sydney for over ten years and is thrilled to be managing Victor Churchill for the Puharich family. Her skills in functions, events and entertaining have also seen the launch of the ‘Victor Churchill Experience’ which includes Butchery and Cooking Schools, Store Tours and Victor Churchills Private Dining Room.
Dave Ellis

After working as a qualified chef for 15 years in the Sydney foodservice scene, Dave decided to diversify, leaving the kitchen to pursue a career in the beef industry. Initially working for Vic’s Premium Quality Meat he relocated to Brisbane and worked with major beef producers, John Dee and the Australian Agricultural Company. During this time he also found time to take on a rewarding teaching position at the trendy James St Cooking School.
Jane Fitzsimmons

Jane first found her passion for food at The Old George and Dragon in the Hunter Valley, inspired by Jenny and Ian Morphy. Jane has enjoyed 20 years in the hospitality industry from Chilli Jam Noosa with Paul Blair to retail with Simon Johnson.

Jane is excited to be able to share her love of food and cooking with Victor Churchill customers.
Anna Madden

Anna has a passion for food, produce and French culture, which has brought her to Victor Churchill, whilst studying Medical Science. Anna grew up in Bowral with fine food at her door and with a mother who has a passion for cooking.

Anna had the opportunity to live on a small farm in Southwest France where she developed her true love of traditional French food.
Jamie Thomas

Jamie has 17 years experience in the food industry, mainly in London where he has worked with such influential chef’s as Fergus Henderson of St. John, Alistair Little and Rowley Leigh. Jamie arrived in Sydney in 2001 and whilst on holidays, decided to stay in Australia where he helped open and run Blue Water and Wild Water on the Northern Beaches. Jamie’s passion for small goods and butchery,inspired him to join the Victor Churchill team.
Luke Smith

Luke has 14 years experience with food where he started his career in North Yorkshire. It was not until he started working in London that made his love of food a passion rather than a job.

Luke moved to Australia in 2003 where he joined Seven Spirit Bay in Darwin as Head Chef. Luke’s passion for cooking meat and fine produce has led him to Victor Churchill to inspire and help our customers.
Darren O’Rourke

Darren brings to Victor Churchill over 20 years experience in the hospitality industry. Darren started his career in restaurants on the floor and bar providing exceptional customer experiences. Darren decided late in his career to become a chef whilst working at The Bathers Pavilion. Taken under Serge Dansereau’s wing he worked his way up in the kitchen to become Sous Chef.

Darren ventured out and has been ‘wowing’ customers at Bird Cow Fish in Surry Hills and he is excited to be able to share his knowledge from our Charcuterie Bar in Victor Churchill.
Danny Woodward

Danny started as an apprentice in 1963, as a 16 year old with W.A Grubb (est 1908). His love of food and helping customers has kept him in the job that he loves - butchery for over 46 years. One of his highlights has been meeting his wife and having three children and two gorgeous granddaughters.

Danny’s other highlight has been meeting and working with Victor Puharich, and after many years, having the opportunity to work in a butcher store like Victor Churchill. After 46 years Danny is excited to still be continually learning about a job he is so passionate about.
Peter Taylor

Peter, a country boy, was born and bred in Walgett, NSW. He moved to Sydney when he was 16 to start his apprenticeship in Sydney’s west. Peter worked with the same butcher for 12 years where he learnt the importance of multi-tasking as he served customers, the art of breaking down carcasses and sausage making.

Peter was hired as the youngest supervisor with TA Fields which was quite an accomplishment for a 22 year old. Peter bought his own butcher shop in Randwick which he successfully ran for eight years and after selling the business, Peter moved into the Rosebay area where he enjoys life in the eastern suburbs. Peter is passionate about meat and likes assisting customers with their meat selection.
Jason Henderson

Jason moved from New Zealand where he completed his chefs apprenticeship. On his way to Aberdeen in Scotland, Jason had planned a two week stopover in Sydney, after which, he decided to work on Lord Howe Island as a chef at the Pines and Arajilla.

Jason was missing Sydney, and decided to move back, to work in a small boutique hotel in Surry Hills where he found he loved helping customers. Most recently Jason was working with a small food company providing gourmet healthy options for their clients. Jason is excited to be working at Victor Churchill with our array of premium produce and is keen to assist and inspire our customers with their food purchases.