Local Chef Kickstarts New Charcuterie & Butchery Business

More good meat is headed our way from Local Pig, a new charcuterie company and whole animal butchery that launched a 30-day Kickstarter campaign today. Founded by chef Joseph Thomson, who in his 10 years of cooking in San Diego has worked at Whisknladle, Mister A's, Waters Catering and Cafe Chloe, Local Pig will be sourcing its pasture-raised whole animals from ranches in California.

The meat, including pigs from Cook Pigs Ranch, will be transformed into salumi, pâté and fresh sausages. Beyond pork, Local Pig will include chicken, duck and cuts of beef in a monthly CSA-style meat club. Its Kickstarter is seeking to raise $45,000 to get wholesale operations off the ground— a workshop as well as a space for classes on butchery and charcuterie— with rewards that include batches of sausages, subscriptions to the meat club and even a whole pig roast. Thomson told Eater that Local Pig will start with delivering its project directly to consumers, but intends to look into setting up booths at farmer's markets and eventually, opening a brick-and-mortar retail space.

UPDATE: Thomson tells Eater that the Kickstarter campaign has been pulled due to personal circumstances but he hopes to relaunch it in Spring 2016.