Copper to start with tasty chop (3)
I believe the answer is:
cut
'chop' is the definition.
(cut can mean to chop up)
'copper to start with tasty' is the wordplay.
'copper' becomes 'cu' (chemical symbol).
'to start with' says to take the initial letters.
The initial letter of 'tasty' is 't'.
'cu'+'t'='CUT'
(Other definitions for cut that I've seen before include "Make an incision" , "Cold-shoulder" , "Slash" , "dropped" , "Slight" .)