Josh Niland

Josh Niland

Renowned Australian seafood chef Josh Niland, owner of the restaurant Saint Peter in Paddington (Sydney), reveals a completely new way of rethinking cooking with fish in all aspects. His philosophy revolves around the preparation of exquisite dishes from a sustainable perspective through zero wastage.

Sustainable dining

With the opening of the restaurant Saint Peter in 2016, Niland put into practice the cooking of fish following his philosophy. Whilst in the kitchens of other restaurants, only certain parts of the fish were cooked, this chef used absolutely all of the fish, from its nose to its tail. 

"In preparing the fish, I realised just how much was going into the bin" – Josh Niland.

The chef insists that the use of the whole fish is the only way to achieve the sustainability of the ocean. His restaurant currently specialises in fish caught sustainably and therefore includes all types of lesser-known species and respects the seasonality, offering diners fish that is always fresh and conserves all its properties. 

The fish butcher 

Unlike other seafood professionals, Josh Niland does not simply see a fillet of fish on the counter, but rather a product from the sea with infinite properties from which we can extract a lot more benefit. The blood, head, tail, scales, etc. have become fundamental parts to the chef which he uses to create exquisite dishes, making the most of all that the sea provides.

The way in which Josh prepares and cooks his dishes is unique and has awoken the fascination of professionals all over the world. In the below image you can see how he separates each part of the fish, showing that it is not simply a piece of fillet.

In 2018, as a result of the vocation he felt for sea products and sustainability, he opened the Fish Butchery, a modern fishmonger's located a few doors down from his restaurant and which includes all the day-to-day practices of Saint Peter. There the chef and fish professionals work with the dry product, cutting it to order.

The success of the fishmonger's and the restaurant was imminent, which is what led him to publish his own book, The Whole Fish Cookbook. The book includes over 60 recipes and transmits his philosophy of sustainable cooking.