Fishmonger lands the best gig of his life
AN Elton John fan who runs a business supplying top Bristol restaurants got the surprise of his life when he was asked to deliver fish and seafood to the rock legend’s personal chefs before his Ashton Gate gig.
Jonny Burnett, 26, got the shock call four days before Sir Elton’s Bristol concert, which is part of his farewell world tour.
The singer’s caterers were so impressed with the quality of the seafood that they ordered more for his second Bristol show last night – and he’s been asked to deliver fish to Sir Elton’s gig in Wales tonight.
Former Backwell School pupil Jonny, who trained as a chef at Raymond Blanc’s prestigious Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, launched his Conscious Food Co in January 2021 after a stint working in France as a private chef. Before that, at the age of just 19, he ran his own restaurant, The Post Box, at Claverham near Yatton.
His business started with door-todoor deliveries to homes around Bristol and North Somerset. He now supplies fish to several top Bristol restaurants including Little French, The Lido, Bianchi’s, Sonny Stores and The Malago.
The fish and seafood is sustainable and sourced from Brixham, Devon, where Jonny has a unit to prepare the fish. He gets up at 4am each morning and drives to Brixham to attend the daily auction at the fish market and lets Bristol chefs know what’s available by WhatsApp.
He said: “We buy it and prep it in Brixham and bring it back to Bristol, delivering to the restaurants the same morning it comes into the market. It doesn’t get any fresher and it’s all sustainable and caught by day boats.”
Jonny says Elton John’s chefs heard about his business through a customer. By a huge coincidence, Jonny was already going to the gig on Wednesday. His girlfriend had bought him a ticket for his 25th birthday present.
“When they asked me, I said it would be an honour because I’m a huge Elton fan. I’m also a bit of a pianist myself! They loved our fish so much that we’re now supplying Elton with fish at his second Ashton Gate gig and then the Swansea gig on Monday. Hopefully, they’ll also ask us to supply fish for the London gigs.”
Jonny says Sir Elton’s order for Bristol included Brixham wild sea bass, Cornish hake, Scottish salmon and River Teign oysters from Devon.
For today’s Swansea gig, they’re going for turbot as well.
“They bought a lot of fish and they loved it, which is great. I know from experience as a private chef for VIPs that if you make one little mistake you soon hear about it, even if it’s a tiny bone – you don’t get a second chance.
“And from a business point, it was great, too.
“They spent more money for Wednesday’s gig than 12 restaurants put together, it was crazy!”