Christchurch, U.K.-based The Jetty is one of five restaurants vying for the top title in the Seafood Restaurant of the Year competition, organized by The Caterer and Seafish UK. The winner will be announced 24 June at the Michelin-star Benares Restaurant in London. The other finalists include Gamba in Glasgow, Hix Oyster & Fish House in Lyme Regis, Outlaw’s at the Capital in London and Rocksalt in Folkestone.
The Jetty is certainly a strong contender for Restaurant of the Year, with several awards and distinctions under its belt, including “Christchurch Best of the Best 2013.” SeafoodSource recently caught up with Alex Aitken, chef patron at The Jetty, to talk about how the restaurant succeeds in seafood sourcing and sustainability.
Blank: Congratulations on being named a finalist for Restaurant of the Year! What qualities does the restaurant possess that helped it earn this distinction?
Aitken: Our great reputation and the quality of our product is paramount, as well as the depth of research into sustainability (we were also runners-up in the UK Sustainable Restaurants Awards) and how we communicate sustainability to our staff and clients. Our staff training includes fishing trips and I worked two years on fishing trawlers on the East coast of Scotland. We also serve a diverse selection of seafood, including bycatch and lesser-known species.
Blank: Around how much seafood do you purchase for the restaurants annually?
Aitken: For our Christchurch campus, where we have the original The Jetty and our upper deck restaurant, we purchase a total of around GBP 300,000 (USD 475,000) of seafood annually or around 37,500 kg (41 tons) of seafood. It is scary and that is why we must act responsibly and sustainably.
Blank: Which seafood suppliers and distributors do you work with to source sustainable seafood?
Aitken: We buy from the four boats currently fishing out of our harbor daily. Plus, Samways of Bridport, Coast Seafood Poole, Premier Fish Downtown, Sea Fresh Sea Foods and Kingfisher Brixham.
Blank: What types of sustainable seafood do you source?
Aitken: We are known as a local restaurant even though we attract a fine dining clientele, so we still serve Fish & Chips using sustainable fish, which changes seasonally. Currently, the most sustainable is hake, but we also use rock salmon, pollock and whiting. Other sustainable fish are used in more complex dishes such as our version of cioppino, where we use fish landed on Mudeford Quay, not San Francisco Quay. We also serve our version of paella, and have joined the local fishermen on the Quay, talking sustainability and cooking and selling their catch.
Blank: Which seafood dishes are most popular at The Jetty?
Aitken: That is difficult to answer because it is so seasonal, and popularity changes with the seasons. Currently, clients love lobsters, crabs and scallops at the luxury end. Also, this time of the year we have great mackerel, sea bream and bass.
