I first discovered Henderson’s while working in Edinburgh at the Hallion Club at a point when I was becoming increasingly frustrated by various butchers I had previously worked with. Alan Mattheson (now at Nick Nairn’s Cook School) mentioned this small family butcher in Fife and gave me the contact details. I sampled some of the steaks and other meat and was hugely impressed.

Since opening the Wee Restaurant I have built a good relationship with both David and Andrew and speak with them both regularly. We change the menu at the restaurant every week and advice from David often helps me make these choices. I firmly believe that chefs should listen to their suppliers. Advice on certain cuts of meat, curing times, game seasons and pricing are all part of our regular conversations.

The meat is often sourced from selected farms from the north of Scotland with whom they have built up a relationship. Sourcing great quality from the outset is obviously of the utmost importance – however without an understanding of the handling of the meat the final product can often be disappointing. At Henderson’s the meat is hung for a lengthy period to ensure a mature flavour is achieved and that the meat is as tender as possible. I request that the ribeye we use are hung for a minimum of 28 days and I have to say the results are far better than any I have eaten before, including the famous Kobe beef.

● Craig Wood is the owner and chef at the Wee Restaurant, 17 Main Street, North Queensferry, 01383 616263, www.theweerestaurant.co.uk

● John Henderson Ltd Butchers is based at Unit 8, Fife Food Park, Faraday Road, Glenrothes, 01592 770 555