What I Learned Spending a Week in a Swiss Butchery

Last but not least in my series of stages, I spent my final week in Switzerland, before heading back to San Francisco, inside a real butchery.

I’ve long admired the display case in a butcher shop — the neatly arranged steaks, sausages, skewers, and other preparations. Growing up, I enjoyed hearing stories from my grandpa’s days working in a butchery — including his apprenticeship back in the 1960s, which I wrote about in a previous newsletter.

And I’ve always loved watching my dad prepare big cuts on Sundays, especially when he’s excited about aging the meat himself. So when I was given the chance to step into a real butchery at La Boucherie Perusset, I didn’t hesitate.

At 13, I was finally old enough to see what this craft was really about.

Inside the Butchery

As soon as I stepped in on Monday morning, I was given a jacket and a little beret-style cap, just like everyone else around me was wearing. Then I was assigned my first (and main) task: making skewers. Beef, chicken, pork, even duck marinated with orange. The skewers were colorful with all the different meats and seasonings, and the smell of the spices in the air made me hungry as I worked. In the middle of summer, skewers fly out of the shop because everyone is grilling. Making hundreds of them in a row was tiring, but once I found my rhythm it became almost like a game, a mix of speed, precision, and endurance. All the while, my hands grew cold from handling the chilled meat, a sharp contrast to the 30 °C heat outside.

boucherie perusset brochettes — Skewers, skewers, and more skewers — my main mission of the week.

boucherie perusset orbe — Oriental-style chicken, black garlic chicken, paprika chicken, quail fillet with garlic, and garlic shrimp skewers — all lined up in the butcher’s display.

Around me, the butchers and apprentices were all busy with their own tasks, the steady sound of knives hitting the boards filling the shop. At one point, I left my skewers to follow one of them into the special fridges where big cuts of meat were dry-aging under perfect temperature and humidity. It was fascinating to see — the science and patience behind it. It made me think about how my dad does his own version at home, but here it was done with professional precision.

dry aging meat — Patience on display — these cuts are in no hurry.

I also got to see a very modern sausage-making machine, where you just press on a screen to choose the type of sausage you want to produce — tradition meeting technology in the most surprising way.

saucisson vaudois — Traditional Vaudois sausages, all set for the smoker.

Challenges & Hopes for the Future

While working, I also started asking myself: what is the future of this job? In Switzerland, owning a small butchery isn’t easy. Big grocery chains such as Migros or Coop — the largest in the country — sell meat at lower prices and even provide their own butchering services. People who live close to the French border often cross over to buy meat for less, and on top of that, many families are eating less meat for ecological reasons.

But there are also signs of support.
I’ve noticed that the national meat marketing group, Viande Suisse, has been running ads in the street and online encouraging people to buy local, high-quality, and sustainably produced Swiss meat.

swiss beef butchery — Swiss butchery quality — clear in every slice.

Monsieur Perusset himself is very confident about the future of the profession.

“In some towns, officials have even renovated old butcheries so that young butchers can rent the space and start their own business without the heavy cost of renovations — giving them a real chance to begin their career,” he explained to me.

Moreover, there’s still a strong demand for quality. Customers who come to places like Perusset aren’t just buying meat — they’re buying trust, tradition, taste and quality that big grocery chains can’t equal. Seeing loyal customers line up every day showed me that good craftsmanship still has a future.

What I Learned

Definitely how to make skewers — I’ve been making them at home since then! But this week showed me much more: that butchery is a craft where detail matters, tradition meets skill, and where keeping it alive takes courage and passion.

I also admire the boss, Monsieur Perusset, who not only trains six apprentices (1st, 2nd, and 3rd year) but also welcomed me as a short-term intern, and always had a big smile — something I’m truly grateful for.

Fun Fact

On the homepage of La Boucherie Perusset, there’s a video presenting the butchery. When my mom first watched it, she thought, “Wow, these butchers are also talented dancers!” But then she recognized her old tap dance teacher in the group and realized they had actually hired a tap dance company to make the video extra entertaining.
👉 You have to watch it!

🤝 Before You Go

🔪 Is there someone in your family with a craft or profession you admire — or that you’d love to learn more about? Hit reply and tell us. If they’re open to it, we might even feature their story in a future issue!

💌 New here? You can still catch up — read our previous newsletters here.

Zélia, for SoliaVenture

P.S. At the end of the week, I bought skewers and enjoyed a delicious BBQ at home with my family.