A Fulton Fish Market Tour with Oceana Chef Bill Telepan
It would probably be rare for someone to say they were delighted to be up at 1am anywhere in the world— let alone during a drizzly wet night in the Bronx of New York - but that was the case on Thursday morning. This was because my colleagues Jayson Berryhill, Alastair Smart and I had the opportunity to follow Chef Bill Telepan and Chef Michael Aungst of the renowned Oceana restaurant around the fish stalls of the Fulton Fish Market.
I have always wanted to visit the market given it is one of the oldest in the world — if not by physical location by name. The fish market originally occupied a wing of the Fulton Market that was established in 1822 near the Brooklyn Bridge. However in 2005 the market was relocated to its current location at Hunts Point of the Bronx.
After a couple of delicious seafood meals at the restaurant the week prior, and then our Storied Seafood Event, it was great to make the trip out to meet his dedicated seafood buyer and the fish wholesalers he buys from to learn their stories and that of the seafood Chef Bill regularly buys for Oceana.
Although no way near the size of Tsukiji, where I spent many years as a researcher and trader, it still has an impressive range of seafood. Most significantly, the all-important relationships that make Tsukiji and Tokyo’s seafood scene second to none, were on show at Fulton. The wholesalers knew the people behind the fish they were offering, and it is these trust relationships that help to secure a consistent supply of high quality seafood whenever it is available. Indeed the first stalls I always go to are ones with tuna — if you can do tuna right you can do most things right.
The product I saw was of very high quality so I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was from one of my old suppliers and friend Brett Taylor of 4Seas in Mooloolaba, on the Sunshine Coast of Australia. Brett and his brother Grant of Southern Moves are leaders in the east coast tuna fishery of Australia.
All in all it was a wonderful night wit many new friends made and we look forward to working with the guys at the Fulton Fish Market in the future. See the video of the tour below. Thanks Chef Bill for making it happen.
