Episode 2 · Season 1 · San Francisco, CA
CRAFT BUTCHERY FIGHTS FOR OUR FOOD SYSTEM: Angela Wilson on sustainability, small business, and the future of food | The Trades Show Ep 002
Angela Wilson is a butcher and small business owner in San Francisco who runs the neighborhood shop Avedano's. Recorded at the shop, this episode follows a path from restaurant kitchens and martial arts into craft butchery — sourcing from local farms, using every part of the animal, the realities of running a small business in a changing city, and why paying more and eating less might be what preserves our food system.
July 10, 2025 · 35 min
Episode notes
In this episode of The Trades Show, host Briana Ottoboni visits Avedano’s, a beloved butcher shop in San Francisco, to sit down with Angela Wilson, butcher and small business owner, for a conversation on craft butchery and the future of our food system. Together, they explore Angela’s journey from restaurant kitchens and martial arts to running a neighborhood butcher shop rooted in sustainability and care.
They discuss what it takes to run a small business in a changing city, the importance of sourcing from local farms, using every part of the animal, and why paying more and eating less might be the key to preserving our food systems. This episode offers a grounded, inspiring look into the rhythms of craft butchery, the challenges and rewards of small business ownership, and the deeper meaning behind connecting to the food we eat.
The Trades Show is a show about modern craftwork — a conversation series with artisans and a return to what makes us human: the ability to create with our hands.
Chapters
What's in this episode
- 00:00 Introduction
- 01:12 Meet Angela Wilson & Avedano's
- 03:45 From restaurant kitchens to butchery
- 07:10 Starting a butcher shop from scratch
- 10:19 The realities of running a small business
- 13:28 Sourcing animals from local farms
- 17:20 Using every part of the animal
- 20:33 Sustainability and food systems
- 24:00 Employee wellbeing in small businesses
- 27:15 Pricing, inflation, and small business challenges
- 30:01 Craft butchery and mentorship
- 33:12 Advice for aspiring butchers
- 34:45 Why supporting small farms matters
- 35:34 Outro
Meet the guest
Angela Wilson
Angela Wilson is a butcher in San Francisco, CA.
Looking for work in the artisan trades? The Corral is the national jobs board for artisans and the shops that hire them.