FISH Restaurant Has Reopened With a New Menu, New Ethos and Award-Winning Chefs at the Helm
Ex-Clooney chef Des Harris and Aussie Josh Seeds have reinvented the look and feel of this city stalwart, with a new focus on sustainability and an ethically-responsible supply chain.
Sure, a restaurant named FISH doesn't leave a lot of unanswered questions over the type of food it serves.
The Hilton's signature restaurant, perched on the end of Princess Wharf with arguably Tāmaki Makaurau best views of Waitematā Harbour, has garnered a reputation for many things during its 11 year run: stand-out service, an exceptional wine list and of course, that million dollar view out from the Northern tip of Princes Wharf to the Hauraki Gulf and back to the city skyline.
But most of all, it's got a rep for serving up some of the city's finest kaimoana ever since it first was opened by celeb-chef Simon Gault back in 2011.
Now, after months of closures throughout level 3 and beyond, the waterfront eatery has reopened with a refreshed menu and two internationally acclaimed chefs at the helm.
Multi award-winning, Al Brown-trained chef Des Harris (ex-Hunting Lodge, Clooney, Logan Brown) has taken over as the hotel's new Culinary Director, putting his particularly inventive cooking style front and centre of the reinvention. The new Executive Chef is Aussie Josh Seeds, who has spent the last couple of years working in hotel kitchens from London to Japan.
Together the pair promise they've come up with a menu that focuses on locally sourced, seasonal produce and ethically caught seafood from local farms, growers and suppliers. Their ethos "tomorrow's fish is still in the sea" is clear about two things: the ecosystem they've vowed to try to protect and the freshness of the seafood on your plate.
Of course, those two statements don't exactly sound like they should go hand-in-hand, but Seeds says it's all part of their supply chain reimagining.
"Our ethos at FISH is to showcase New Zealand sustainability sourced fresh, wild and natural seafood, prepare it well and serve it simply," he said. "In a new era of dining, it's no longer okay to just serve local seafood.
"What's important is that it's ethically caught and sustainable seafood, meaning we source ingredients that aren't endangered, are caught in the right method that doesn't harm the environment and work with suppliers who don't overfish."
The pāua, for example, is sourced from South Wairarapa-based Tora Collective, who dive and source for the specific quantity requested each week after an order is placed on Sunday.
There are, of course, plenty of non-seafood options for those eaters who can't think of anything worse than an oyster straight out of the ocean. The new menu boasts pork belly, cheeses, cauliflower and lamb rack. But its the deceptively simple, straight-from-the-water flavours of the seafood that are set to make this spot shine again. Go soon, while the weather is still turning it on.
FISH can be found at 147 Quay Street in Auckland's CBD. It's open 6.30am - late from Monday - Friday, and 7am - late on Saturday and Sunday.
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