Top Chefs Celebrate Wild Seafood From Alaska

On a balmy summer’s day on Monday (14) June, top chefs gathered at West London College for a day of Covid-Secure menu development. The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute are supporting UK chefs with an initiative that will provide promotional funding for restaurants that feature or are interested in featuring Alaska seafood on their menus.

Seafood from Alaska is all wild and natural, being caught in some of the world’s most crystalline waters. Alaska’s sustainability credentials are second to none; fisheries are MSC and RFM certified and the taste of the various species is unmatched due to its rich environment and abundant food source where it is left to forage naturally.

During the day of menu development, four London chefs each took to the stove to create fantastic fish dishes to show off their individual cooking styles.

West London College hosted the day and lecturers were told all about the new Seafood University online courses available to catering students.

Chef Lecturer Bob Carruthers said

“This is just what my Level 2s need.  The online courses look interesting and are totally free to access.  It is great that our students will benefit from these recipe films and it will be great to recreate the recipes that the chefs cook today.”

Alicia, Northern Europe Marketing Executive said

“It is fantastic to be working with The Chefs’ Forum and some of London’s finest chefs to celebrate reopening of restaurants and showcase our support for the hospitality industry.  After what has been a very difficult year, it is great to be able to work with culinary talent to develop new recipes and showcase the versatility of wild seafood from Alaska as well as offer support in the way of promotional funding to UK restaurants.”

Chefs taking part on the day were Masterchef: The Professionals finalist Philli Armitage-Mattin, TV Chef Dipna Anand, Ambassador of Taste For The Global Gastronomy Chef Chanaka Fernando and Creole Chef Patrice St Yves.

Philli was first to create her dish of Miso Alaska Black Cod with green shiso tempura, dashi sushi rice and saki marinaded eikura.

Philli loves to cook Asian food, having travelled across Japan taking in all the wonderful cooking styles, smells and flavours.  Philli used her Konro BBQ grill to achieve a charcoal finish on the black cod.

Philli said

“The inspiration for the dish came from my travels in Japan where I ate miso marinated cod on Hakuba mountain.  I learnt to cook on a Konro grill in a restaurant in Hong Kong called Haku where I worked for three months. Black cod is has a lovely meaty texture and lends itself well to marination – It is great to know I can source this product and it comes beautifully portioned”

For restaurants seeking to switch to alternative species, wild Alaska pollock is the perfect substitute for cod and TV Chef, Dipna Anand showcased this versatility in creating a delicious masala fish dish.

Dipna added

“I absolutely love pollock, it really so versatile and excellent in a curry.  Today’s masala dish is in my book, Beyond Brilliant and it is so great to be able to swap in Alaskan species.”

Species that are imported into the United Kingdom from Alaska include black cod, king crab, five types of wild salmon, wild Alaska pollock and yellowfin sole.

Chanaka Fernando then created a fabulous Baked Alaskan King Crab Leg with Fennel, apple salad and crispy parsnips.  Garnished with gold leaf, this beautiful dish really made a showboat out of this delicious and theatrical ingredient often used as a highly prized centrepiece by chefs across the globe.

“I love to split the king crab legs open, add chilli, then bake them. Wild Alaskan king crab is one of my favourite species as the meat is always sweet and they really add the wow factor to any dish. King crab is also great simply steamed or sensational in a sushi roll.  I am delighted to be working with Alicia and The Chefs’ Forum to promote delicious wild fish from Alaska.”

Patrice St Yves was next up with his Creole-style dish of king crab Manioc Cannelloni Green Apple sabayon passion Moai caviar.

“This dish is a celebration of the dual culinary heritages of South American and Guadeloupe.  The ingredients connect the continent to the island. The manioc is ideal for king crab as it has a naturally delicate flavour.”

Alicia and the marketing team are inviting restaurants to request funding for marketing initiatives that boost sales of Alaska seafood menu items.

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute hope that by offering marketing funding to restaurants, we can encourage restaurants to include seafood from Alaska on their menus and help restaurants to sell more wild fish.

Chefs wishing to support the campaign and explore opportunities to showcase seafood from Alaska on their menus should email asmi@wearelotus.co.uk