The Mutton Renaissance
Celebrating A Classic Taste

For hundreds of years, mutton was the staple meat of the British household, considered superior in texture and flavour to lamb. Changes in farming and cooking lead to mutton’s sudden decline and for the last fifty years mutton has almost disappeared from our shops and restaurants.

The Mutton Renaissance campaign was launched in 2004 by the Prince of Wales to support British sheep farmers who were struggling to sell their older animals, and to get this delicious meat back on the nation’s plates.

The future for mutton is looking up. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, in his River Cottage Meat Book, says, “The word about mutton is starting to get around. Smart chefs are already putting it on their menus, and a few enlightened butchers are beginning to market it as something rather special.”

Nearly 200 family farms, restaurants and butchers across Britain are rearing, selling and serving mutton. Renaissance Mutton appears on the menus of top restaurants around the country, including The Ivy, The Ritz, Ransome's Dock, Quartier Vert (Bristol), Heathcotes (North West) and many more.

The Prince of Wales continues to lead the Mutton Renaissance Campaign, which is co-ordinated by the National Sheep Association and the Academy of Culinary Arts.