Featured Product: Fresh Farm-Raised Icelandic Arctic Char

Aquanor brand arctic char are from Iceland, the global leader in char production. In their natural habitat, wild arctic char hatch in fresh water and, like salmon, head downstream to the sea. Unlike salmon, though, char do not spend most of their adult life in the open ocean, preferring instead the brackish water found at the mouth of rivers.

Aquanor fresh farm-raised char are especially environmentally sensitive, requiring specific densities and natural, unspoiled conditions that match the purity of their natural Icelandic atmosphere. Sustainably raised in land-based closed-system tanks, these char grow in a continuously sand-filtered system that blends pure Icelandic seawater, natural spring water and geothermal water to create a unique, temperature-controlled saltwater environment. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has identified farmed arctic char a “Best Choice” because they carry a low risk of pollution and habitat effects.

Farm-raised char grow slowly, feeding on natural organic ingredients to ensure a high-quality product. No antibiotics or chemicals are ever used in the hatcheries or grow-out facilities. When the char are ready for market, they weigh an average of three lbs. Immediately after harvesting, they are packed with wet ice in catch-weight 50- b. cartons and flown in fresh several times per week. With a unique, wild quality, no two char look exactly the same and the taste and firm texture are just as nature intended them to be.

Seattle Fish will donate 1 percent of all arctic char sales made between February 16 and March 9, 2010 to Ocean Trust, an award-winning ocean conservation foundation building science, conservation and industry partnerships for the sustainability of the oceans and providing a link to sustainable fisheries, wildlife and the environment.

 

Featured Chef: Andrea Frizzi, Owner and Executive Chef of Il Posto

Born and raised in Milan, Andrea Frizzi inherited useful traits from both parents: From his Venetian mother, a passion for fine Italian cooking; from his Tyrolean father, a respect for hard, honest work.

Andrea graduated with honors from the prestigious Italian Culinary Academy, earning the Distinguished Diploma o Merito by the mayor of Milan as the top graduate in the class. Frizzi then worked in Milan for 12 years in increasingly senior restaurant management positions. As the executive chef at Saint Abroeus, Frizzi cooked for late Pope John Paul II, the late U.S. President Ronald Regan, Russian President Michael Gorbachev and Italian Prime Minister Andreotti, to name a few.

After moving to the U.S. in 1993, Frizzi accepted an Executive Chef post at Bice Restaurant in Washington, D.C. Within a year, he was recognized by Williams-Sonoma as one of country’s most promising tastemakers and named “Best New Young Chef in Washington, D.C. by Dining Digest magazine.

As a sought-after restaurant consultant in the D.C./Baltimore area, Frizzi was exposed to a variety of widespread restaurant issues, including such as overused concepts, neglectful food preparation, unacceptable service, and disrespect for food service in general. From these observations, he saw the need to provide complete restaurant consulting services and in 1996 founded Restaurants Incorporated.

Andrea believes that high-quality food, attentive service, respect for tradition, attention to detail, culinary innovation, and operational efficiency are all fundamental to the success of any restaurant. Frizzi’s new restaurant, Il Posto, relies on fresh local ingredients and a fresh take on traditional Italian preparation. See Il Posto’s reviews in 5280 Magazine and Westword.

“At Il Posto, the ingredients make the menu—which means I am continually looking for quality ingredients to inspire each day’s dining selections. Seattle Fish Company's attention to detail and understanding of my vision for Il Posto has made them a critical resource when it comes to identifying seasonal seafood options that are sustainable, fresh and flavorful.”

– Chef Andrea Frizzi, Owner and Executive Chef of Il Posto

 

Seattle Fish Company is on Facebook

Seattle Fish Company is on Facebook! Become a Fan of Seattle Fish Company and get up-to-the-minute information on sustainability efforts, view photo albums of everything from events to vendor visits or participate in a variety of topical discussions .

Seattle Fish Company Safety Audit

At Seattle Fish Company, we understand the importance of food safety. In addition to regulated oversight by the FDA and local health inspectors, we invest in additional oversight and audits to ensure the very highest standards in everything we do. The company voluntarily pays for a USDC inspector to be on-site four hours a day, six days a week and undergoes two annual voluntary third-party best practices and food safety audits. We are proud to announce that in our recent Good Manufacturing Practices and Food Safety Systems Audit—conducted by Silliker, Inc., on February 9th—Seattle Fish Company received an aggregate score of 97.8%. This is proof positive of our commitment to food safety. For a copy of this report, please email Derek Figueroa at derek@seattlefish.com.