We asked Chef Nick why he prefers wild-caught fish over farm-raised and how he prepares it, as well as where he sources it, to help our members get a better understanding of the lifecycle of your fuel from ‘catch to kitchen’. Here’s his response:
“I very much stand behind eating as much wild seafood as possible. Not to say I won’t purchase farm product from time to time, there are good fish farms out there. But wild seafood is just simply more natural, healthier and is better for the environment.
You always have to keep one thing in mind, ‘you are what you eat’, but ‘you are what you eat eats’. Yea, eating salmon for instance is healthy in general, but what is that salmon eating? This question directly affects us and I think most of us don’t consider it. Farmed fish are fed a variety of things, some natural, but mostly not. This is 100% relevant when considering what seafood to purchase.
Wild is more often leaner due to living a more active life. I like to think of the fish out and about, living life (happy fish, so to speak), whereas the farmed fish are stuck in a pin being lazy…getting fat.
Cooking with wild seafood is a game changer. Due to the fish being leaner, you have a greater chance of over cooking the fish- it will dry out quicker if you’re not paying attention. So, for most wild fish filets, I would recommend a quick sear and nothing more. Salt and pepper, maybe some extra virgin olive oil, and lemon, that’s it. You really want to taste the fish and the great qualities it has to offer. Consider the life it’s lived, out in the wild, and not pinned up in a cage.
Don’t even get me started on wild shrimp, it’s a whole different game; the flavor is way more pronounced.”
The Kitchen at Woodside sources wild-caught fish because it is higher in omega 3s, has a higher protein value, is free from antibiotics and contains less fat. It’s our duty to educate our members exactly where your fuel comes from, so you can make mindful decisions about what you eat.
The Kitchen’s seafood source locations:
Wild Salmon | Canada: Cook Inlet, Yakatut River, Copper river, and Columbia river
Wild Shrimp | California & Mexico: gulf of California, gulf of Mexico
Wild Squid | Pacific: gulf of India, north Pacific Ocean
