Macellaio RC Butchery Masterclass

Last Updated on August 8, 2025

Enjoy your steak like a pro with this engaging and tasty masterclass.

4.5 out of 5.0 stars

The slopes of the mountains of northern Italy may seem a world away from Shaftesbury Avenue, the bustling thoroughfare at the heart of London’s Soho. Macellaio RC, an Italian steakhouse with multiple locations across London, including Clerkenwell and Shaftesbury Avenue in Soho, holds exclusive rights in the city to serve Fassona beef, a prized breed raised on the Alpine pastures of Piedmont, Italy. Famous for being particularly lean and sweet, Macellaio RC offers a variety of cuts covering the whole animal, and is the place in London to try this speciality for yourself.

I was invited to the Soho branch of Macellaio RC to try out their Butchery Masterclass, which can be booked online for £120 per person. Led by the executive chef and head butcher, the three-hour class began with a comprehensive history of the fine selection process behind the meat on offer at the restaurant.

Offering the Fassona breed, Macellaio RC selects only 4-year-old female cows that have not given birth for the meat, which gives it its renowned sweet taste. The meat is then air-dried on location, with different cuts available. The Costata (rib eye) is especially popular, along with the tomahawk and T-bone.

We learned about the careful preparation of the meat, including tartar, that takes place on the premises downstairs in the kitchens. Head chef Jay offered some excellent tips for making the perfect steak at home, too.

For the first part of the masterclass, we made our own steak tartar – from the top side leg of the cow. Other restaurants may choose to use fillet, but, as we were informed by the head butcher at Macellaio RC, the best raw beef is to be found on the top side. Fillet can then be used exclusively to cook with.

After enjoying a glass of prosecco, each participant in the masterclass had access to the full range of meat and ingredients to mix their own tartar, all ready chopped by hand. Following the head chef’s instructions, we mixed our raw beef with salt, pepper, olive oil, shallots, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, capers, ketchup, mustard, Tabasco, and brandy, then added a raw egg yolk to the middle. Carefully, we then plated the tartar. A fun, interactive experience, the tartar mixing allowed the participants to adjust the flavour profiles of their beef by adding in different quantities of condiments as they desired. Also, alongside the tartar, was a delicious pre-prepared carpaccio with rocket.

We then enjoyed the centrepiece of the steak masterclass experience, which was large cuts of T-bone and rib eye, theatrically revealed at the table on silver platters. The meat was rich and flavourful, with delicious fat. The opportunity to contrast the quite different but equally delicious cuts of steak was a highlight of the experience. It demonstrated in full the tender and sweet profile of the Fassona beef. Alongside the meat, honey-glazed carrots and fries provided an excellent accompaniment. We then rounded off our meal with a creamy tiramisu and apple tart.

An enjoyable experience for meat lovers, the Butchery Masterclass is as informative as it is delicious. The head chef and butcher make the experience with their engagement with participants and evident passion and pride for butchery and preparing the perfect steak for guests.

Participants will leave the class with an appreciation for the skill and dedication required to procure the ideal cuts and breeds, and the precision required to deliver top quality to guests. I’ll certainly be selecting and cooking my steaks with a more informed and discerning eye in future, and look forward to returning to Macellaio RC for another Fassona rib eye soon.

Macellaio RC Soho
39-45 Shaftesbury Avenue
London,
W1D 6LA

+442038481030

The online butchery class can also be booked online