The Bearded Butcher

We met Sidney Yuen, seventy-three, as he was headed home with full bags of fresh produce and groceries. He’s now retired after working for thirty-six years as a butcher at Berkeley Bowl, a popular East Bay grocery store. He has always worked in markets—first at the Sheung Wan Market in Hong Kong, where he grew up, and then in Hawaii where he landed in the ’70s upon immigrating to the United States. 

When he moved to the Bay Area, his friend connected him to the job at Berkeley Bowl, where he remained for the rest of his career. We asked him about his distinctive hair, which he said he only began growing out a few years ago. “Everywhere I go, people say they recognize me [from the grocery store],” he said. “They call me Mr. Miyagi or Ho Chi Minh.” 

Now in his retirement, Mr. Yuen stays active by tending to his backyard garden, practicing tai chi, and learning Chinese dance at local parks. 

- Andria