Struggling to pay the bills on a nonprofit salary, chef and whole-animal butchery expert Ryan Farr began making chicharrones in his Mission District apartment from leftover pig skins, selling them to local bars for extra cash. This under-the-radar DIY gig became the foundation for 4505 Meats in 2009. Specializing in locally sourced whole-animal butchery, 4505 Meats opened a small retail space in December 2012 on Mission Street near 15th, just two blocks from Farr’s apartment where it all began.
He once tried to sell homemade sauerkraut. Now, Mark Kurlyandchik, a lifelong foodie from a Russian family of small business owners, writes about the business of food. He’s excited to explore how immigrant entrepreneurs influence the experience of eating in the Mission.
More by Mark Kurlyandchik
You really should try sliding your hot meat between their succulent buns.
Love these guys! I live closely, but went vegetarian just a month before they opened last year. I wish they had been around when I ate meat! I really respect the way 4505 does business, and not supporting factory-farming makes me feel a lot less shitty about consuming animals.
Should I start eating meat again, I know where I’ll get it from.