Flying Fish’s executive chef Peter Robertson pays a visit to the restaurant’s neighbour, the Sydney Fish Market.
When Peter Robertson took his sister’s advice to become a chef after hearing cooking would make him a hit with the ladies, he had no idea his questionable career motives would become the best decision he had ever made.
Setting off on an adventure with his then girlfriend, now wife (wise sibling advice indeed), Robertson collected far more than clichéd souvenirs on his travels. He sourced a new-found passion for cooking and a broadened palate for flavour. “I started cooking reasonably young in cafes and restaurants on Sydney’s North Shore where I completed my apprenticeship, but it wasn’t until I went travelling through Asia, Europe, North Africa and North/Central America that I realised food meant much more to different cultures than what I had been exposed to,” he says.
Returning Down Under, Robertson invested more energy into his culinary skills, adding both small and hatted restaurants to his resumé. But it was his passion for seafood, rather than impressive CV, that made Flying Fish a fitting career move. Since Flying Fish burst onto Sydney’s dining scene in 2004, it has kept its footing as one of Sydney’s best venues for a seasonal and sophisticated seafood-driven menu.
“I love the delicate nature of seafood; it takes a more gentle, precise hand to execute well,” Robertson says.
“Having visited some of the great seafood-producing regions of Australia, working with products from those areas makes me think of the place it came from and the people who work really hard to produce it.” Walking along the docks of Sydney Fish Market, a stone’s throw from the “office”, Robertson takes in the bustling morning scenes. “Sydney Fish Market is a great place to get seafood. Not only is it a hub for the product that comes across the floor from local fisheries and co-ops, but also some of the main distributors have a base of operations here. This means you have access to the freshest of product they source through direct relationships with domestic and international producers.” Having had his fair share of seafood on his travels, Robertson holds a high standard for the Harbour City’s seafood offerings. “I think Sydney competes pretty damn well! We have very well-managed fisheries here, pristine waters and fishermen who’ve had exposure to best-practice fishing methods.”
Book your table at Flying Fish today and experience mouth watering meals from Peter Robertson and his team
