Top Marks for Mitch Tonks

The Swan Inn in Little Haven was the setting for lunch with a difference on Wednesday.

Seafood expert and award-winning restaurateur Mitch Tonks hosted a tutored tasting of fish and shellfish at the restaurant as part of Pembrokeshire Fish Week.

Guests sampled a huge selection of seafood, both locally-caught and from around the UK, while Mitch explained the differences between the species, tastes and textures and how this affects cooking.

The visitors also enjoyed a fresh seafood lunch, prepared by The Swan Inn’s executive chef Mark Cheeseborough, including Mitch’s signature dish of Zuppa da Pescatore.

One of the guests, June Morgan of Haverfordwest, said the tasting had encouraged her to try new seafood.  “If you weren’t inspired before, you would have been afterwards!,” said June, who went to the session with her husband Phil.

“We tried lots of different crabmeats, two kinds of oysters, sewin, salmon, and more, and Mitch was explaining the differences, which was a great help.”

Later on Wednesday, Mitch hosted an entertaining and inspirational Fish and Shellfish Masterclass at the Torch Theatre.

Mitch and his team demonstrated a variety of mouth-watering dishes, from Chilli Mussels to Seafood Spaghetti, Zuppa de Pescatore, and Monkfish with Rosemary and Anchovy butter. 

Throughout, Mitch also chatted and answered questions from the auditorium about all sorts of issues, from sourcing the freshest fish, to sustainable stocks, and how to encourage children to eat fish.

He was aided by students chefs from Pembrokeshire College and one of his colleagues, a consultant for Youngs seafood.
Kate Morgan, organiser of Pembrokeshire Fish Week and Food Officer for Pembrokeshire County Council, said Mitch’s preparation techniques and simple no-fuss cooking removed much of the mystery surrounding seafood.

“Mitch’s enthusiasm for seafood is really infectious and I’m sure the audience will be eager to try out different seafood, and his recipes, as soon as possible,” she said.

She added: “Mitch was bowled over by Pembrokeshire Fish Week and his taster of the area has certainly wetted his appetite to come back.”

The founder of FishWorks with 12 restaurants in Bath, Bristol, Christchurch and London, Mitch now runs the ‘Seahorse’ restaurant in Dartmouth, and has won many awards, including ‘Restaurateur of the Year’ by Tatler magazine, and ‘Best Seafood Restaurant’ by the Which? Good Food Guide.

He is also the author of The Aga Seafood Cookbook, The Fishmonger’s Cookbook, and The FishWorks Seafood Café Cookbook.

Caption
Preparing for the Mitch Tonks tutored tasting at the Swan Inn in Little Haven are (left to right) Mitch Tonks, Swan Inn executive chef Mark Cheeseborough, catering student Marcella from Pembrokeshire College, and Paul Morris, owner of the Swan Inn.
 

ID: 15768 Revised: 1/7/2008