I


saac McHale has an app called Marine Traffic on his smartphone, which tells him at any given moment where the boats of his


Cornish supplier are. Top London restaurants develop relation-


ships either with middlemen or fishermen, and McHale feels he needs to know when Dylan Bean’s Lady Hamilton is going to land as he wants to have first refusal on purchas- ing the catch. Going the extra mile to source his red mullet, wild gilthead bream or even a low-value fish such as mackerel gives him the confidence to prepare it raw. Freshness and condition are a starting point, but handling the produce is just as important. Here, McHale believes, the British palate differs from a Japanese one, especially with regard to texture. We have no problem eating raw fish, but we prefer it less ‘taut’ or


14 | Best of Chef | March 2016


firm. His technique for red mullet (and mack- erel) brings tenderness without losing any of its iodine-sweetness.


Planning Fish purchasing is always haphazard and dependent on what the day boat catches. If the Clove Club (which features a 50-seat dining room) receives enough mullet for more than a day, it will prepare and then wrap them individually, ready to be finished during service. Because it has set menus, it can and does alter the offer at very short notice.


Costing


The Clove Club pays £22 per kilo for its red mullet, which is used in a cold fish course on the five-course, £65 menu. Filleted, a large fish of 600g will deliver six portions.


www.thecaterer.com


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