Knives Down with Gordon Newlands
Discipline, Mentorship and the Mindset Behind the World’s Best Butchers
Some careers are built on opportunity. Others are built on discipline.
In this episode of Knives Down, Gordon Newlands shares a career shaped by both.
Before becoming a leading voice in the global meat industry, Gordon was a champion sprinter for Scotland - balancing full-time work in butchery with elite-level athletics. Those early years built the foundation for everything that followed: discipline, time management, and the ability to perform under pressure.
That mindset never left him.
Throughout the conversation, one theme stands out above all others - the importance of standards. Not just in competition, but in everyday work. Gordon recalls a piece of advice from his grandfather that has guided him throughout his life: be the best you can be, no matter what you do. Whether that’s sweeping floors or representing your country, the expectation remains the same.
It’s a principle that flows directly into his work today.
As Brands Development Manager at Quality Meat Scotland, Gordon represents farmers, butchers, and the wider industry across the UK and Europe. His role is built on relationships, communication, and a deep understanding of the entire supply chain - from farm to customer.
But beyond the technical side of the industry, Gordon places huge importance on people.
Mentorship, in particular, plays a key role in shaping the next generation. He emphasises the importance of listening, learning from others, and taking every opportunity to grow. In his words, even attending a single event and learning one new thing is enough to make it worthwhile.
That mindset extends strongly into the World Butchers Challenge.
Having judged at the international level, Gordon draws clear parallels between elite sport and competition butchery. The preparation, the pressure, the composure - all of it mirrors the demands of high-performance sport.
And perhaps the most powerful takeaway from the episode comes in one simple line:
“They are athletes of the meat industry.”
It’s a statement that captures exactly what the competition represents — not just skill, but discipline, mindset, and consistency at the highest level.
For anyone building a career in butchery, the message is clear.
Commit to learning. Show up. Listen. And strive every day to be better than you were yesterday.
Listen to the full Knives Down podcast episode with Gordon Newlands on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Be sure to follow the show so you never miss an episode. And because this podcast is built for the global butchery community, we would love to hear from you. If there is a butcher whose story should be told, a topic the industry should be discussing, or a conversation you think we should have on the show, let us know. The best ideas often come from the shop floor, and that is exactly where this podcast began.