Columbia alum Hunter Prehn Lindstrom graduated last spring with a bachelor’s in musical theatre. This fall, he was in a production of the Nutcracker at a north side theatre.

But Lindstrom’s real dream is not on the stage. He wants to become a USDA-certified butcher.

Lindstrom grew up in rural northern Wisconsin and spent time when he was younger going on hunting trips and learning outdoorsmanship skills with his father, Jerry Lindstrom. That led to what he described as a deep spiritual relationship with nature and the consumption of animals both for food and for goods. 

He now works in the meat department at a grocery store on the north side of Chicago, where he practices his craft in between rehearsals and performances. 

TRANSCRIPT:

00:00:05:02 – 00:00:32:04

Growing up. Meat was definitely the number one thing I ate. My dad is a hunter and we ate a lot of venison, which is deer, moose, bear, a lot of, you know, wild animals. We’ve cooked and ate, and I’ve really enjoyed that. My name is Hunter Lindstrom. I am currently employed at The Fresh Market. It’s on Diversey and Halsted.

00:00:32:05 – 00:01:02:03

You might know it used to be called Doms. My official job title is Meat and Seafood team member. And mostly what I do is I prep specialty items such as, like breaded chickens, uh, we do kabobs, I make burgers. I also make pre-made dinners that we call market meal kits. And I also help customers get what they need because we have a display case for all of our products.

00:01:02:03 – 00:01:09:19

And we, we wrap them in like, papers and stuff instead of having products already wrapped for them.

00:01:09:21 – 00:01:27:11

It wasn’t until recently that I got a job back in my hometown working with meat that I realized I really enjoyed working with this product and working with my hands especially, and I just felt very happy and like, in control with myself when I was working with meat.

00:01:27:13 – 00:01:52:20

Outside of my work. I am also a dancer. I am currently in a show of The Nutcracker. It was through a company called Helping Others Through Theater. I was in the snow, the waltz, and I was in Russia. Everyone thinks it’s really cool. Everyone who I mentioned to, they’re really shocked that I’m doing two very contrasting mediums of work.

00:01:52:21 – 00:02:13:19

I am from New Glarus, Wisconsin. It’s a small town a bit south of Madison. Growing up, my childhood home was in the woods. I had one neighbor and he wasn’t like right next to us. You actually had to go through a stretch of woods to get to his house. I didn’t live in like a, like a suburb or in the neighborhood.

00:02:13:19 – 00:02:21:15

I grew up in the outdoors and did outdoor things with my dad and stuff.

00:02:21:17 – 00:02:37:22

And you say that’s probably where a lot of, like your background when, you know, preparing meats and stuff comes from. I definitely think that’s where it comes from. My, my dad worked a lot with meat too, and he was a really good cook. And he, he made a lot of amazing dishes out of the stuff he killed.

00:02:37:22 – 00:02:42:01

And I’m grateful for that experience.

00:02:42:03 – 00:03:16:08

I’ve always had an appreciation for animals growing up, especially, you know, with my background of hunting and eating what I hunt. Working in this field, I’m always learning about, you know, what parts can be used. I’m learning more about different fish that are edible and are on the market, like every day. And so I truly do appreciate and I’m grateful for the animals and the ecosystem that we live in, that we get to partake in what they offer us.

Copy edited by Brandon Anaya