Lucas Meats has been with us on the Dinner Ladies rollercoaster since day dot. They’ve grown with our business from cooking in a shed out the back of the house with a camping stove to delivering deliciousness to your doors across Australia every week. It all began when we arrived (a little flustered) at their store in Bronte for a couple of kilos of ossobucco as well as this and that to make our meals. David gave us his card and said, “If you ever need anything, instead of showing up, just email me and I will have it ready for you” — this was the very start of our relationship together, and since then, they have never, not once, let us down.
Leo (David’s dad, who sadly passed away this year) first opened Lucas Meats in Syndey’s East in 1963, and it’s been in the family ever since. With three generations running through the business (from Leo to David and now his son Jono), they stick to the old-fashioned values of top-quality products and excellent service while they’re also excited to evolve with the times. They’ve got a younger group of butchers in the team who are so passionate about their jobs and bring fresh techniques and knowledge about meats and cooking to the business.
David is a self-proclaimed Waste Prevention King, using all the bits around the shop to ensure nothing goes to waste. Scraps are cut down into dog bones, beef fat is rendered into tallow, and stock is made from off-cuts — “it’s an old-fashioned virtue and been that way since the beginning of the business”, says David.
We love knowing that the ingredients in our meals have been picked with care from the best. David was asked by a customer how the pigs they sell are treated, so he drove to the supplier and took photos of the pigs running around in the field. He returned with pictures of happy pigs to show his customer the quality of their products. Only the best for our home-cooked dinners!
Lastly, you might be curious about David’s favourite meal on the Dinner Ladies menu. You probably wouldn’t have guessed, but it’s our all-veg spinach and ricotta lasagne! We’re just as shocked as you are.