Rising costs mean familiar fish are taking a dive. But seafood doesn't have to sink off the menu. Here are the options to stop you from splashing out
Foodservice operators are beset by supply chain difficulties. The fallout from Brexit, the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis are all pushing up prices, but nowhere is the impact more apparent than in fish and seafood.
Under the headline "Cod help us" The Sun reported at the end of July that half of the UK's 10,500 fish and chip shops could close due to rocketing costs. Andrew Crook of fish and chip shop Skippers of Euxton in Lancashire told The Mirror in August that a cod order that would previously have cost £140 set him back £230 the previous week.
The litany of supply chain challenges for fish and seafood makes sorry reading. Inflationary pressures such as fuel cost rises and staffing issues have made it more expensive for fishermen to take boats out, and if they don't make a good catch there is the risk of zero return. This has led to fewer boats going out across Europe and the world, adding more pressure to fish supplies and driving up prices, explains Laky Zervudachi, head of sustainability at Direct Seafoods.
Increased costs in fuel and transport rates, means that farmed fish are not immune to inflation either, and the increased cost of fish feed is another factor impacting aquaculture.
Alongside supply chain difficulties, changing sustainability criteria add to the complexities of what to choose in this category, with sustainability a top concern for diners on fish and seafood. But suppliers have plenty of advice on how to reinvent fish and seafood for a new, uncertain and cost-challenged era.
Bigger fish to fry
A move away from the ‘Big Five' – cod, haddock, prawns, tuna and salmon – which account for a large part of all seafood consumed in Britain, is one solution all suppliers suggest. Petra Weigl, managing director at Regal Springs Europe, recommends tilapia as a value for money alternative. Tilapia, white fish raised in the deep-water lakes of Indonesia, Honduras and Mexico, are the second biggest farmed fish worldwide after carp and see nearly 60% bigger sales volumes than salmon.
Weigl says that the UK market has been looking into sustainable aquaculture species for some time, and interest is gathering momentum due to a shortage of other species, supplies of which have been impacted by a volatile supply chain.
She says: "Our sustainably produced tilapia offers significant opportunity to the UK food market as it is resource-efficient and meets the high sourcing standards of the UK, related to animal welfare, community and environmental impact."
Chefs and operators need to be open-minded to keep costs down, while also remaining sustainable, adds Zervudachi. Look at species such as mackerel, mussels and trout as alternatives, he recommends. Salmon sourcing has been a particular issue this year, with prices at record levels due to a reduction in available fish across farms globally.
Operators could explore the less-popular option of trout, he recommends. "ChalkStream trout from Hampshire grows to a similar size as salmon, rivals the taste but yet still seems to be an option that does not resonate as strongly with consumers as salmon," says Zervudachi. A trout and vegetable traybake or creamy trout risotto are both tasty and simple dishes a restaurant could offer to incorporate this under-used species, he suggests.
Green at the gills
Alongside costs, sustainability is a preoccupation for consumers in fish and seafood.
Educating consumers and operators on the benefits of moving away from core species will have a positive impact on sustainability. Out of home dining is in fact a fantastic platform for showcasing new species and sustainable options to diners, says Hans Frode Kielland Asmyhr of the Norwegian Seafood Council.
He says: "While we are all dealing with rising costs, it's important that we don't forget the importance of sourcing sustainably. Chefs are instrumental in helping consumers understand that their choices matter. By offering sustainable menu options, they can help consumers understand the importance of making sustainable choices, while also tasting unfamiliar species and discovering how delicious sustainable seafood can be."
It's a win-win as if a wider selection of varieties of fish can be embraced by operators and consumers this will eventually bring down the price on core species, such as salmon, tuna and cod, as there will be less demand, Zervudachi argues.
Joel Carr, development chef at Young's Foodservice, says frozen fish should be at the top of the list for a chef, as it is often cheaper than fresh and offers many benefits, including making menu planning easier and reducing waste, enabling catering on demand.
Since the reopening of hospitality after the coronavirus lockdown, there has already been a shift towards frozen fish, to allow for the peaks and troughs caused by last-minute cancellations and sudden closures due to staff members contracting Covid. Ian Nottage, head of food development at Sysco Speciality Group comments.
"Frozen products, particularly cod and haddock fillets, remain a popular option for many operators if landings of fresh fish are poor."
If chefs are using frozen fish then please treat it with respect, Nottage urges. "Defrost it slowly and treat it like fresh, there is nothing worse than seeing tepid water run over a block of cod in the sink."
Taking care with ingredients, reducing wastage and cost control should be on everyone's mind when dealing with ingredients, particularly key proteins such as fish and seafood. And suppliers suggest that less can be more when it comes to fish. Using it alongside popular ingredients in recipes may be more cost-effective, and will tempt customers to try new dishes.
Young's Alaska pollock and pink salmon pieces could be used in a noodle stir-fry with garlic, chilli and ginger, or served as fish tacos with fresh coriander, sweet chilli sauce and soy sauce, suggests Carr. "Our Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Cape hake fillets have a firm, meaty texture and delicate flavour, and they are perfect in a white fish chorizo cassoulet with cannellini beans, vegetables and chorizo."
Chefs should also consider how many menu options fish and seafood can present, says Nottage. Take a large piece of cod for example, the loin can be used as a premium option on the menu, and the tail fillet for fish and chips and goujons for the children's menu.
Operators can also keep their menu descriptions flexible to allow them to make use of better value white fish products when prices fluctuate. Rather than ‘cod & chips' or ‘haddock & chips' ‘fish & chips' keeps options open, says Zervudachi.
By purchasing a mix of wild, and farmed fresh fish and shellfish, along with really good quality frozen products, a chef can cover all of their needs, meet sustainability goals and keep their menus interesting, says Nottage. "Farmed fish offers consistent size, shape, and price, allied to excellent sustainability credentials, while sustainably caught wild fish is perfect for use on the specials board and is often available at a great price. Frozen gives flexibility of stockholding and price points by allowing the chef to defrost their fish and seafood as and when required."
To keep on top of changes in availability and pricing and sustainability, operators and chefs can leverage their supplier partnerships, talking to them regularly to keep up to date with what products are best to incorporate on menus, Zervudachi recommends. "About 90% of global fish stocks are either overfished or at risk and what is cost-effective and sustainable now may not be in the near future [Sustainable Food Trust, 2021]."
Fish and seafood feel like they might be slightly slippery customers for chefs to deal with in the midst a cost-of-living crisis, but with suppliers' help and advice, and by employing some common sense tactics in the kitchen, chefs can fish out some new and unusual and most importantly, cost-effective, menu options.
Daily dish at the Little Fish Market, Hove
Duncan Ray, head chef and owner of the Little Fish Market in Hove, East Sussex, offers a tasting menu, showcasing whatever fish and seafood is best on the day.
Bass, mackerel and turbot are some of the species that might be found on the menu. Seafood and fish is sourced from suppliers from all over the country and often caught using day boats. If a product happens to be locally sourced, so much the better, but local sourcing is not the big priority – his restaurant is all about quality.
"We don't pay too much attention to price; if we want a show-stopping main course, we buy what is best in the morning," Ray says.
An example of the typical seafood options on one night's tasting menu might be hand-dived scallops, turbot, sea bream, lobster and wild prawns. Fish is only ever frozen if it is to be used raw, seafood is bought and used fresh.
As there is only a six-course tasting menu on offer, customers often try new species, for example grey mullet, which they would not otherwise have ordered.
One of Ray's major concerns is eliminating wastage. He comments: "If I am feeding 16 people, I will only buy eight mackerel, one side each. Wastage upsets me, that is why I stopped offering à la carte."
He reports that prices are going up, due in the main part to the cost of diesel. "I hear stories of suppliers and middlemen paying boats for a boat-worth of diesel, to make it worth their while to go out."
However, Ray, who previously worked at Heston Blumenthal's the Fat Duck, is confident in his formula. He says he is doing what he loves and "very positive about the future." The restaurant is open five days a week, from 7pm to 10.30pm, only a few tables are available a night, and tables are always fully booked.
The Scott Formula
Emily Scott – chef owner of Restaurant Emily Scott in Watergate Bay in Newquay, Cornwall – says her food influences combine those from a childhood in Provence, where she collected strawberries with her grandfather, with the shores of Cornwall and its golden sandy beaches.
These memories inspire simple, refined dishes at her restaurant. "We source from the very best local suppliers. We create dishes that follow the seasons. We gather the finest ingredients and combine them simply and instinctively. My passion is for the connection between food, a sense of place and storytelling," she says.
Scott's restaurant uses a set seafood and fish menu, the idea for which had been on Scott's mind for a while, but it took until this year to implement it. "I feel that as a team we now have the confidence and talent to bring what we do to a set menu format. It is important to remember what you can achieve on your own and what you can achieve as part of a team," she says.
"Food and wine for me are so linked and are both my passions. I choose to cook by what is in season and what I like, as I do with the wines." The staff do wine tastings and everything on the menu is tried by the team, throughout the year.
Scott says that she is very specific about how the experience at her restaurant should feel. "It is not just about the food but about every detail, but in a relaxed way. I have a small team and work very closely with my head chef Kye. He understands my brand and ethos and we work well together."
The Scott formula is all about consideration and taking time to develop dishes, with creativity and passion, and Scott says that she is most at home in her kitchen.
She adds: "My restaurant should reflect my style and what I think and feel. I love nothing more than delighting others through food, bringing friends and family together around the table. What I do always feels very natural and real."
Suppliers
Direct Seafoods www.directseafoods.co.uk
Norwegian Seafood Council www.en.seafood.no
Regal Springs www.regalsprings.com
Sysco Speciality Group (M&J Seafood) www.syscospecialitygroup.co.uk
Young's Foodservice www.youngsfoodservice.co.uk
