Olley’s Fish Experience in Herne Hill, London has been named Best MSC UK Restaurant Menu 2015, as owner Harry Niazi was recognised for the most effective use of his restaurant’s certification.
George Clark from the MSC says: “Harry uses an incredible range of MSC certified seafood which forms a large proportion of his menu, using at least seven species throughout the year, including some MSC certified dishes for the specials menu. Harry is passionate about serving a wide choice of MSC certified sustainable fish and shellfish always on the lookout for more!”
Harry Niazi said: “I’m delighted to receive this award, it’s great to highlight the fantastic range of MSC certified seafood that can be sourced and I’d like to thank the help and support of my excellent MSC certified suppliers! I’m always looking for quality certified seafood to introduce, which gains very positive feedback from my customers. I gather as much information and latest news as I can from Matthew Couchmann’s “The Fish and Seafood Daily”, and from online resources such as the MSC, the SRA, Seafish, MCS and M&J Seafoods. My fish suppliers, Simon Smales at Smales of Hull and Matthew from Southbank fresh fish are always proactive, informing and educating me on the latest and best sustainable species available.”
Special award for Dennis Crooks
George Clark continued: "This year saw a new award; the MSC Special Achievement Award, which recognised Dennis Crooks Fish Merchants for their passion and dedicated efforts to get deliveries of MSC Scottish haddock to restaurants in London and further south to Devon. Fish and chip shops have found this fish to be popular in the North, but those in the south have always struggling to source it. Now, thanks to Dennis Crooks, chippies in the South and South West have an opportunity to use quality certified sustainable Scottish haddock for the UK’s favourite takeaway."
Dennis Crooks is proud of these recent developments to supply MSC certified sustainable seafood more widely and is delighted with the Special Achievement award: “It’s great that UK restaurants are starting to support the British fisherman more, fresh Scottish haddock has such a good flavour and with boats fishing for less days than previously the quality is second to none.” Said William Crooks,
“MSC haddock from Scotland is bought daily and sent over night to us ready to be hand filleted and dispatched the same day to customers around the country. We give fish and chip shops access to a premium product with the guarantee the MSC certification brings of a fresh, sustainable and fully traceable piece of fish. It's a pleasure to be able to work with passionate skippers to passionate fryers, all working for the future of the industry.”
William continues, “We are extremely proud of the award and it means a great deal to us as a small family business to have been noticed for all the hard work that goes into not just supplying but promoting the use of fresh MSC certified fish. We would like to say a special thanks to Carol, Stuart, Adrian, Raymond & Maria Fusco from the Quayside restaurant in Whitby for supporting us through the early stages of our MSC certification as well as their continued support.”
George Clark was impressed with the dedication and progress shown by MSC certified sustainable suppliers and fish and chip shops this year, which was reflected in this year’s awards: “These are fantastic examples of the progress being made with the MSC programme. It’s fantastic to be able to celebrate the great work being done with certified sustainable seafood within the fish and chip shop sector. With the MSC recently launching its new Chain of Custody certification standard, especially built with the fish and chip sector in mind, the process has become more efficient and more affordable. A perfect time to seriously consider proving the sustainability of your fish to your customers.”
The MSC recognized other foodservice businesses and individuals supporting certified seafood in a variety of categories:
MSC UK University of the Year 2015
Durham University
Durham University’s tireless promotion of sustainable fish and seafood to their students and their involvement in the MSC’s #fishface campaign are an example to the sector. A special mention goes to Head Chef, John Turner whose promotion of MSC seafood at the university and #fishface fish and chip event for Durham students attracted enormous support from the students.
MSC UK Fish Supplier of the Year 2015
Brakes
Brakes continues to offer the widest range of MSC products in the foodservice sector and are constantly updating their list of available MSC species and products. They also promote MSC labelled products to their customers and, in May 2015 signed the Sustainable Fish City Pledge.
MSC UK Chef of the Year 2015
Silla Bjerrum
For her work promoting MSC herring and the Hastings fishery. Silla went on a quest to get some inspiration for her dream of putting MSC herring on her menu at Feng Sushi. In doing so she helped promote one of the key MSC certified fisheries in the UK to her customers, Guardian readers and the wider foodservice industry.
Awards in the retail sector went to Aldi, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Bird’s Eye and John West.
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