From Arctic char to Whelks, fishmonger Brian Dixon, knows more than a thing or two about fish. In his role as Fish Manager at Morrisons in Gamston, Nottingham, he runs the store’s fish counter, a traditional curved counter that provides the perfect centrepiece for a wide range of fresh and smoked fish and seafood.
Creating such an impressive-looking fish counter requires a lot of preparation work. “My day starts at 6am. We put the fresh ice out on the counter ready for the day’s fresh delivery between 6.30am and 7am,” explains Brian. “At Morrisons we place a great emphasis on freshness, so we prepare the Scottish salmon daily in store. Also, the fish we receive daily depends on what the market has been doing. So if the weather’s been fine and the fishermen’s catch is good, we may run a promotion on a particular fish.”
A great selection
In fact, Morrisons sells more than 50 salt and freshwater varieties of fish, as well as shellfish, so a trip to your local Morrisons fish counter will probably open your eyes to some slightly less well-known types of fish. “Alongside the popular favourites such as a Tuna, Haddock and Scottish Salmon, we also sell more unusual varieties such as Red Gurnard and Tilapia,” says Brian. “Often people come in and want to try something they’ve eaten on holiday, so fish such as Red Snapper are becoming more popular too. We’re also introducing new products all the time,” he continues. “New to us here at the Gamston store is Flounder and Black Bream.”
The wide variety of fish available means that Brian and his team take great care in the presentation of the counter. “Once all the delivery is in, we spend around an hour and a half arranging the fresh fish on the counter so it looks as appealing as possible,” says Brian. “Making the counter look attractive is something I take great pride in.”
Expert advice
At 8.30am the store opens, and Brian and his team are ready to meet the day’s customers. “Offering advice to customers is a big part of our job,” says Brian. “We’re happy to prepare the fish in whatever way the customer wants from descaling and deboning, to filleting and taking the skin off.”
The fishmongers at Morrisons are also trained to give advice on cooking, even more ‘exotic’ species such as squid and octopus. “My main advice on cooking fish is not to overcook it so that it remains moist,” says Brian. “We also provide a free fish kettle loan service at the store (with a small deposit) so that customers can have a go at poaching a whole fish.” Finally, to ensure freshness, fish from the counter is packed and sealed in foil pouches so that it stays fresh and cool on your journey home.
Sustainability
Another issue that is important to customers is where the fish has come from. “We often get customers asking whether a fish is farmed or wild – they seem to be very interested in this,” says Brian. “At Morrisons, all our fish comes from sustainable sources. A good amount are line-caught and we make sure we don’t stock endangered fish such as marlin.”
To help customers make more informed choices about the food they buy, Morrisons has introduced a new labelling system for fish that gives the origin of the fish – the area where it was caught or farmed, and the catch method. “Our customers are getting quite savvy about food and where it comes from,” says Brian. “For example, they are starting to look for alternatives to Cod such as Pollock and Barramundi. In the case of barramundi, rather than fly it in from Australia, we have started selling barramundi that is farmed in the New Forest, so we are supporting local producers and saving on food air miles.”
Top of the class
Brian has been working as a fishmonger for more than ten years, having joined Morrisons as a management trainee. “I worked in lots of different departments and at the end of the first year decided to specialise in fish – it is a very interesting area.” More recently, Brian showed off his skills in the 2006 British Fish Craft Championship, where he was runner-up. The industry-wide competition, held in London, tested fishmongers on a number of skills including filleting and skinning fish in a set time. “It was quite stressful competing against others but was a really good experience,” says Brian.
At 4pm, Brian’s working day is finished. “It’s a long day, but always interesting,” he says. “Our role as professional fishmongers is to get people to overcome their negative perceptions about fish, to educate them and hopefully get them to try new things.”