Top chefs visit area and tour iconic smokehouse
SOME of Britain’s top chefs descended on Grimsby to pay a visit to 100-year-old smokehouse on a whirlwind tour of the town.
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of The National Seafood Chef of the Year Competition in association with the Grimsby Institute, some of the industries biggest names in seafood were in town as judges of the competition.
On a dedicated tour organised by CatZero, Beyond Food Foundation and the Grimsby Fish Merchants Association, the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen chef Matt Tebbutt and seafood legends, Mitch Tonks, Nathan Outlaw and Mark Hix stopped by Alfred Enderby’s on the Great Grimsby docks as part of their trip.
Joined by 2022 MasterChef winner Eddie Scott, the group enjoyed a famous tour by owner Patrick Salmon who explained how the traditional smoking process and over a century old chimneys gives the fish it’s truly traditional, smoky flavours.
They enjoyed some of Alfred Enderby’s award winning smoked haddock and salmon and washed it down with a beer from local brewers Docks Beers as they chatted about their love for food.
Mitch Tonks is the founder and chief executive of the seafood restaurant group Rockfish. Over his 25 year career in seafood as a fishmonger, chef, restaurateur and CEO he has been a leading, respected and credible voice for seafood and said: “this is one of the best fish products that I can think of; really meaty and really smoky. And I’m not just saying that!”
To mark the occasion, they were also presented with their name on one of the smokehouse doors.
Patrick Salmon said: “We have seven smokehouse doors and each one is named after dedicated customers and people who are important to us here. One was named after Woody Johnson the former US Ambassador (Woody came to the smokehouse and suggested we name one of the smokehouses after him!), one after David Ross, one is for Elizabeth Hurley and we have one house dedicated to top chefs, we already have Marco Pierre White on that door as he is a huge fan and now we have Rick, Mitch, Nathan, Matt, Mark and Eddie too and we’re honoured that they’re here to see it.”