Food artisan becomes inaugural Saskia Beer Churchill Fellow

From her perch, seated on an upturned bucket among the sawdust on the floor of her grandparents’ continental butcher shop, a young Melbourne girl stared in fascination as her beloved Opa created smallgoods which her Oma would then prepare for friends and family.

Now 46 and a food artisan in her own right, Sascha Randle, who has been cooking for 25 years, has been awarded the Saskia Beer Churchill Fellowship. With her sights set on learning the secrets of European sausage making from some of the great kitchens of France, the fellowship will allow her to obtain specialised training in the skill and techniques of traditional French charcuterie production.

“I am heading to France next April to work with industry greats Gilles Verot and Sebastien Zozoya — both world-renowned charcutiers with acclaimed maisons located in Paris and Bayonne,” Randle said. “Here, I will learn the art of producing exceptional pâtés, saucissons and hams and bring that knowledge back to Melbourne and the broader community. It’s an art I never want to die out.

“I believe it is so important to retain the techniques of smallgoods making here in Australia, as currently there is no further charcuterie training for professional butchers at any institution in this country. It’s so important that we highlight the applications charcuterie has in reducing waste in the breakdown of animal. Through this, we can educate the community on the importance and benefits of whole animal charcuterie, and smallgoods making.”

The Saskia Beer Churchill Fellowship honours the memory of the late daughter of Australian culinary legends Colin and Maggie Beer, who approached the Churchill Trust to establish a perpetual legacy to Saskia after she passed away peacefully at the age of 46 in 2020. Colin was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 1978 to study overseas developments in commercial game bird breeding and its tourist potential.

Maggie noted, “Given that the Churchill Fellowship was the springboard for our food journey when Colin was awarded it to study game bird breeding, the synergies with this award and Saskia’s work seemed so perfect. We hope this new Fellowship will open doors for new ideas just like it did for us.”

Adam Davey, CEO of the Churchill Trust, highlights how honoured the Trust was to be involved in honouring Saskia’s memory.

“We feel privileged that the Beer family have chosen to partner with us to offer an enduring legacy to reflect Saskia’s work in, and passion for, the food industry, and enable others to pursue excellence in this field, for the benefit of many Australians,” he said.

Fittingly, Randle learned about the Churchill Trust when she heard Maggie Beer interviewed on ABC radio.

“I thought it sounded like a great opportunity to completely immerse myself in my great passion, and to challenge myself by learning more. So I submitted my application quite soon afterwards, and when I found out that I was awarded the Saskia Beer fellowship that Maggie sponsors, I was shocked, excited and in disbelief.”

Randle did her tour of duty at some of Melbourne’s finest, including a career-defining move to work with Philippe Mouchel in the late 90s.

This is where she was inspired and learnt the basics of the making of French charcuterie, using similar techniques she saw with her Opa. Here, Randle discovered the connection between cookery and butchery.

After 10 years with Mouchel, Randle moved on to work for the Andrew McConnell group, opening Builders Arms Bistro in Fitzroy. After two years, she went on to Epocha where she secured one hat in the good Food Guide and the AFR top 100 restaurants in Australia for two years running.

It was during her time at Builders Arms Hotel that she met Troy Wheeler, who would later open Meatsmith. It was when she started at Meatsmith that it came full circle between her childhood experience, professional cooking career and passion for cookery and butchery. First as head chef then production manager, helping to create the Meatsmith Kitchen range of ready meals, condiments, and charcuterie products.

Davey concluded, “I think everyone involved in this Fellowship is delighted that such a true ‘foodie’ and innovator has become the inaugural Saskia Beer Churchill Fellow. Sascha Randle embodies the talents and skills which are at the heart of the legendary Beer food story and which were such an important part of the life of the much missed Saskia Beer.”

Image credit: iStock.com/jackmalipan