Renowned Chef and Restaurateur Mark Best (of Marque and Netflix's The Final Table fame) is aiming to elevate your view of a much-maligned fish species: Carp! Best is set to host a , solely focused on this highly sustainable and often misunderstood species.
Aside from being a multi-award-winning chef and restaurant owner, a published author, a guest speaker at international chefs’ congresses, and an accomplished photographer, Mark Best remains one of Australia’s most innovative and exciting food voices.
His experimental treatment of ingredients is what led to the concept for his Sydney Seafood School class, which will focus solely on a fantastic, sustainably caught species from South Australia - the - showcasing the myriad things you can do with one underappreciated fish. Best grew up in the Coorong District, and used to catch Carp there as a child; he rediscovered the species when judging the "Best Bytes Food Awards".
Australians may love seafood, but most of us aren’t very adventurous with the species we try. The classics (salmon, prawns, oysters, barramundi) fly off the shelves year-round, while lesser-known species are often left to the wayside. Whether it be social taboo, or just not knowing how to cook them, a huge portion of seafood species are underutilised.
Australia is in a unique position with many types of seafood, as we have such an abundance available to us. This means that species which are considered delicacies overseas can often be found much cheaper right on our doorstep.
One such seafood species is the Carp, which is a hugely popular eating fish in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, but unfortunately has a negative reputation in Australia. These fish, however, can be delicious when treated properly – just ask Maggie Beer or Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall of River Cottage. As an introduced pest in our waterways, eating them is also a very environmentally friendly option.
Coorong Wild Seafood, the supplier for Mark Best’s Masterclass, pride themselves on providing the best seafood the Coorong and Lakes of South Australia offer, and the flavour of their unique Carp showcases the pristine environment it is carefully harvested from.
In his Sydney Seafood School class, Mark plans to show guests how to cook this fish three ways: as Carp Kofta, Carp Larb, and Steamed Carp 'Three Rivers'.
If you think you don’t like Carp, this cooking class is guaranteed to change your mind!
Chef's Masterclass with Mark Best
Where: Sydney Seafood School, at Sydney Fish Market
Date: Saturday 5th March
Time: 11am-3pm