Jean Denaux – The French Butcher Who Helped Spark the Irish Hereford Prime Story
In the French town of Sens, in the heart of Burgundy, butcher Jean Denaux has spent a lifetime dedicated to the craft of fine beef. At 68, he still speaks about his work with the same passion he had as a young man – a passion rooted in farming, breeding, and above all, respect for quality.
Jean comes from a family where farming and butchering went hand in hand.
“I was born into it,” he recalls. “We were a farming–butchering family, and even when I moved away from breeding, I kept that same mindset – that everything starts on the farm.”
After agricultural training and time spent learning from breeders, Jean’s early career took him beyond France. He travelled to the United States, where he worked closely with the American Hereford Association and deepened his understanding of genetics and breed characteristics. “It was a great experience,” he says. “Huge landscapes, incredible farms, and a real respect for the breeders who provide the genetic foundation for quality meat.”
Though he enjoyed his time abroad, Jean’s roots were in France, and he eventually returned to Sens to open his own butchery. Yet his time overseas had changed how he viewed beef – and how he wanted to source it.
“For me, the goal was always simple: high quality on the plate,” he says. “That meant understanding the breed, the feed, and the way the animal was raised.”
Searching for the Right Breed
Back home, Jean began working with Hereford and Charolais cattle on his own small farm, impressed by how well the two breeds complemented each other.
“The Hereford brings easy calving, good temperament, and exceptional eating quality,” he explains.
But in the mid-1980s, when he began looking to develop a consistent source of Hereford beef for his butchery, the path wasn’t straightforward.
He first looked to the UK and Scotland, exploring the idea of sourcing Angus or Hereford beef. “At that time, Angus was strong,” he recalls. “But when I visited Scotland, I didn’t find what I was looking for – not enough consistency, not enough of the breed.” Shortly after, the outbreak of BSE (Mad Cow Disease) closed off UK beef to Europe altogether, forcing Jean to look elsewhere.
His research then led him to New Zealand, where he saw the success of the Hereford Prime programme.
“They had done great work,” he says, “but New Zealand was too far away. I needed to be close to my product. I needed to know the people behind it.”
Then came the turning point.
“I suddenly thought — wait — Ireland! Ireland isn’t the UK, and it has the right climate, the right grass, and the same Hereford tradition.”
The Beginning of a Partnership
Jean contacted the Irish Hereford Herd Book and arranged meetings with a few breeders. Before travelling, he also reached out to a processor – ABP in Nenagh – to ensure there could be a practical route to bring the meat to France. “That was essential,” he says. “We needed a full chain – from farm to butcher.”
Those meetings laid the groundwork for something that would become much bigger.
“ABP opened the door,” Jean says. “We talked about creating a brand, a product that would stand for quality and consistency — and that’s how it started.”
For nearly 30 years, Jean has sourced Irish Hereford Prime beef for his customers in France, building a loyal following among chefs and consumers alike.
“My customers were struggling with beef that was inconsistent – too lean, too tough, too variable,” he explains. “Irish Hereford Prime changed that. It was tender, juicy and the taste was always the same. It’s not about price – it’s about pleasure on the plate.”
The Taste of Consistency
Jean’s philosophy is simple: if the product isn’t excellent, nothing else matters.
“You can always find cheaper meat,” he says, “but you can’t replace quality. That’s why I stay with Irish Hereford Prime.”
He describes the beef with a craftsman’s eye: “A nice cover of fat, good marbling, a soft grain — you can see it’s been finished at the right time. It tells you everything about how the animal lived and what it ate.”
Among his customers, favourite cuts include Entrecôte and Côte de Boeuf in summer, or rump steak, which he praises as “almost as tender as fillet, but with more flavour.”
Recognition and Legacy
Jean’s belief in Irish Hereford Prime soon caught the attention of French chefs and even the Académie de la Viande, which awarded him and one of his Michelin-starred partners for the quality of their meat. He also recalls with pride that Irish Hereford Prime was used in the prestigious Bocuse d’Or culinary competition in 2003.
“When I met Robert Deverell, the year after our first award, he created the first Hereford Prime logo — with the words Award Winner underneath,” Jean says with a smile. “That was the beginning. And look how far it has come today.”
A Lasting Relationship
After decades in the trade, Jean still values the same things he always has – quality, trust and respect for the product.
“Irish Hereford Prime has been my partner for nearly 30 years,” he says. “Every week, I place an order, and I know exactly what I’ll receive — tender, consistent, and full of flavour.”
He sums up the secret of its success simply:
“It’s the grass, it’s the breed, it’s the people. Ireland has everything the Hereford needs to do what it does best — turn grass into great beef.”
For Jean Denaux, Irish Hereford Prime isn’t just a supplier — it’s part of his story. And in many ways, his story is where Irish Hereford Prime truly began.
