Clean Catch Fish Market | January 2011

Clean Catch Fish Market

2820 Selwyn Ave. Charlotte, NC 
(704) 333-1212

In the northeast, where I grew up, seafood is part of everyday life and there are plenty of fish markets where you can slake your seafood jones all year long. Trips to the shore are not complete without a steamed lobster dripping with butter and lemon or a hunk of sea bass on the grill with fresh herbs, sea salt and olive oil. And on a chilly winter afternoon, there is nothing more satisfying than a steaming mug of chowder, bursting with fresh whole clams and potatoes. So when I moved to Charlotte – only 150 miles from the beach - I just assumed that I would march down to the local fishmonger to purchase fresh seafood. Sadly, I was mistaken. There were no fishmongers, only supermarkets with primarily farm raised fish and a pathetic selection of shellfish and mollusks. Thankfully, Bostonian Bill Ryan was also frustrated with this paradox and opened Clean Catch Fish Market in Selwyn about six months ago with his partner Chef Graham Giacobbe. (A fish freak who worked with Dave Pasternack at Customshop) Graham may be the most passionate and knowledgeable person I have ever spoken to about fish and his and his team of chefs will go deep on the origins of each species and how to prepare and serve it. Their passion borders on bestiality. Teach a man to fish indeed. The only frustrating thing about Clean Catch can be their lack of supply at times, but the point is that they simply will not sell you fish that isn’t absolutely fresh. So call ahead or get there early. We spoke to Bill Ryan about his vision for Clean Catch.

You have an extremely abundant knowledge of and an almost fanatical approach to selling fresh fish and shellfish. Where does that come from?

The market is really a combination of passion, knowledge and experience coming from all employees. Everyone lives and loves what they do, we spend an enormous amount of time researching and learning about the fish we sell.

Fresh Catch is as much a global logistics company as it is a seafood retailer. How do you manage the challenges of importing fresh seafood from all over the globe?

It comes down to really four things; a passionate staff, a good understanding of our customers, amazing purveyors and a good long-distance telephone plan. Sourcing fresh seafood is a tremendous challenge. There are a several factors we need to look at every week when we’re making our decisions such as the season, weather conditions, what are customer want and pricing.

You have enthusiastically embraced social media in your marketing strategy. (The facebook page, email and twitter feeds alerting you to what’s available each day is a masterstroke) But social media has typically been a young man’s game. Any of them buying New Zealand Barramundi as a result of your facebook and twitter posts?

We are amazed and love how our customers have embraced our social media. From posting pictures of their beautiful creations to complimenting one of our chefs on a recipe request, we love FB. Because our products are so fresh and perishable we want and need for our customers to know what we have every day. Social media has been the perfect vehicle for this type of communication.

 Any tips for home cooks that may be intimidated by fresh seafood?

Don’t be scared of fish. Fish when purchased fresh should be simply prepared. Clean Catch will only serve fresh fish and Chef Graham and his team will walk you through a simple meal for a Tuesday night or a show stopper will impress your family and friends over the weekend.

What’s the best way to prepare “crudo?”

Crudo’s flavor palate should be fresh and clean. Dressed with olive oil, sea salt, and citrus juice such as lemon juice and sometimes vinegar is classic. But it’s always fun to try new and interesting ingredients such sriracha, soy sauce, ginger, jalapeno.