New York and Los Angeles, U.S.A-based Seremoni Fish has launched a line of fresh fish products with a focus on quality ingredients and Japanese-inspired practices.
“In Japan many parts of the food system remain traditional – the focus is to feed one person effectively and scale artisanal systems,” Seremoni Founder Saif Khawaja said. “It’s not just a matter of taste or flavor but vitality. Japanese fishermen are so focused on the perfection of their craft, many chefs (and the fisherman themselves) consider it a privilege to buy their fish. It’s a mindset of artisanship over extraction.”
Seremoni draws inspiration from the Japanese Ike-Jime method of fish handling. Quick and humane, the method is believed to improve the quality of the fish’s meat by preventing the buildup of lactic acid and stress hormones that accelerate spoilage and impact flavor. All fishers that Seremoni contracts with are trained in this handling protocol as part of a profit-sharing cooperative which incentivizes care in handling.
Seremoni’s quality has impressed discerning chefs, including Sushi Zo DTLA executive chef Shimpei Shinohara.
“We source from the best traditional Japanese seafood purveyors – it has been rare to see a similar level of quality with fish handled locally,” Shinohara said in a statement.
By contrast, the American fishing industry produces a lot of waste, Khawaja said.
"Three billion people rely on fish as a primary source of protein, but as little as one in three fish actually make it to a plate in America,”Khawaja said. “When I first heard this stat, having worked on a commercial fishing boat, I realized the reality firsthand. Waste from spoilage and bycatch (catching the wrong fish while out at sea) puts pressure on fishermen to prioritize high-volume fishing with tight margins across the chain. While the U.S. is a leader in policy and sustainability, the reality is the framework of seafood, relative to other supply chains, still has catching up to do."
To help consumers understand and track their products’ sustainability, every package includes a QR code that shares the fish's journey from the ocean to the table.
The first two products Seremoni has launched are black sea bass and black cod, which it is distributing to a network of celebrated restaurants, including Atomix, Sushi Zo, Restaurant Daniel, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Clover Hill, Rosella, Care Carmellini, and Kato. It will soon begin retail distribution with an exclusive launch at Happier Grocery, Yama Seafood, and E Fish.
