The Los Angeles food community has been stunned by the loss of beloved local butcher Jared Standing, who died by suicide on February 22nd, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. Standing has left a legacy of social connections, touched lives, and impacted how LA thinks of its food.
Jared Standing opened his butcher shop, Standing’s Butchery, in Hancock Park in 2017. Many of his connections met him behind the counter, where he was known for his friendly demeanor and how he freely shared his wisdom and food knowledge.
Standing was a former vegetarian who advocated for sustainable sourcing and animal welfare, and his shop was founded on these principles. He sourced his meat from California farmers who prioritized policies like all-grass diets, free-range habitats, and heritage breeds. Standing’s zero-waste policy led to inventive products incorporating scraps and bone into stocks, chili, and premium dog food.
Standing’s Butchery became a hub for providing meat to area shoppers and chefs and for education about sustainable practices and closed-loop farming. The shop hosted butchery classes, and Standing also spread his knowledge online through his social media channels.
“He was able to impact such a large scene from one small shop,” Kelsy Lee, the wholesale manager of Four Star Seafood, told the Los Angeles Times. “He was largely responsible for [getting many] Los Angeles chefs [t] consider the way that they source their ingredients, and also the way that people get food into their homes.” Kelsy had been consulting with Standing for a future location for another Standing’s Butchery.
Standing had been planning to expand his business. He had been running successful burger pop-ups, Burgers by Standing, and had spoken about aspirations to open a permanent establishment for some time. He had announced a Westside location for Standing’s Butchery.
In a social media post made back in 2022, Standing discussed his life story and ambitions. He discussed how “impossible it seemed” for him to open his own butchery shop but explained that he believed that honest hard work would pay off. He spoke about his ambition and how he has spent much time thinking about the future and “all that I want and don’t yet have.”
Standing had come a long way since his beginnings. He had once been homeless, sleeping in a $500 Toyota Corolla. It had taken a job in the meat department of a Whole Foods to teach him the basics of butchery while he found his way financially. He had educated himself in better butchery practices online while he worked his way up to better jobs until he was finally able to open Standing’s Butchery. Standing built a reputation and legacy that will endure through his work ethic and diligent self-improvement.
Suicide rates in the U.S. have set new records in both 2022 and 2023. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline continues to work against this trend and can be reached by phone at 800-273-8255. Other resources include online chat at 988lifeline.org and the text Crisis Line at 741741.
