From fishmonger to chef, food writer to CEO, a passion for British seafood is at the heart of Mitch Tonks’ work. We chat to this champion of the fishing industry about his life in seafood and how we can all make a positive difference.
Words Jenny Oldaker | Photography Rockfish
Mitch Tonks’ working life began in an accountancy firm in London, but each day in the office, he was dogged by a constant sense that something was missing. The restless feeling persisted, and it wasn’t long before he decided to jump ship from the finance world and find something that truly fulfilled him. Inspired by his childhood on the north coast of Somerset where visits to the local fishmonger were part of everyday life – along with the influence of the simple but flavoursome dishes that his grandmother cooked – he felt an instinctive pull towards working with seafood. So Mitch took his savings and, at the age of 27, opened his own fishmonger in Bath.
His focus on freshness and quality brought swift success for the business, and the customers who flocked to the shop kept asking for advice about how to cook the fish they were buying. Mitch’s response was to learn for himself and pass on his knowledge – he avidly read cookery writers like Sophie Grigson and Elizabeth David, trying out techniques and recipes and cooking more and more. With every day and every dish, his passion and expertise grew, and the natural next step was to open a restaurant above the shop. ‘It was hard at first,’ Mitch admits. ‘But a great review from Michael Bateman in The Independent changed everything. That was really the beginning of it all – but my original mission has never really changed: to get more people to enjoy great seafood.’
Fresh is best
It’s a mission that has stood his brand in good stead, and since those early days in Bath, Mitch’s seafood empire has gone from strength to strength – he has become not only a major figure in the food world but also a vocal supporter of the British fishing industry. Today, he has 12 Rockfish restaurants to his name – the newest one, at Budleigh Beach in South Devon, opened in May this year. Alongside the Rockfish chain, Mitch also founded The Seahorse restaurant in Dartmouth, has penned a slew of acclaimed cookbooks, and in 2022, launched an innovative online seafood market.
The aim of the market is to encourage customers to experience fresh British seafood by ordering direct from the quayside for next-day delivery across the UK. Fish can be ordered as it lands and is prepared and portioned at the quayside, ready to cook at home, including advice to help make the most of the produce.
‘The Rockfish Online Seafood Market is one way that we’re making seafood accessible, not intimidating,’ Mitch explains. ‘It provides customers with guidance in the form of recipe ideas, cooking tips and even video tutorials, so home cooks can feel confident trying something new and enjoying a greater variety of responsibly sourced seafood at home.’
If there’s one thing that unites all the various strands of Mitch’s business, it’s his passion for sustainability and for the seafood that abounds around our coast. As such, everything he does is focused on supporting British fishing and fishermen, and encouraging more people to enjoy the produce from our local seas. ‘We’re an island nation with some of the best seafood in the world, yet we still import so much of what we eat and export too much of what we land,’ says Mitch. ‘Species like gurnard, ling, megrim and cuttlefish are all delicious, versatile and often overlooked, so championing them is a big part of what we do.’
When we eat British-caught seafood, we’re not only embracing a more sustainable model, but also getting to enjoy fresher, better produce. Mitch is firmly of the view that when it comes to cooking seafood, freshness is everything, so all his Rockfish restaurants are located in Devon and Dorset, within striking distance of Brixham Fish Market. Here, seafood lands daily, and the team selects the best of the catch before it’s filleted at the quayside and then sent to the restaurants in time for the lunch service.
Protecting our seas
Given his background, it’s hardly surprising that Mitch has long been involved with the work of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) – the non-profit organisation that’s dedicated to tackling the problem of overfishing. He became an ambassador for the organisation after realising the increasingly urgent need to protect marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of coastal communities, as well as ensuring a future of food security. Within this role, Mitch is responsible for spreading the message about why certification, traceability and responsible sourcing matter. For anyone concerned about the issues affecting the fishing industry, buying fish and seafood with the blue MSC label is one very easy way to help our oceans.
‘Working with seafood for over 25 years, I’ve seen how much things have changed,’ Mitch explains. ‘With fewer big fish and more and more species under real pressure, I realised my love of seafood had to go beyond cooking and eating it – I needed to understand more about sustainability issues. The MSC is important because it gives people a clear, trusted way to choose seafood from well-managed, sustainable fisheries.’
Helping to support Britain’s coastal communities and its seafood industry really does start as simply as that. We all need to eat more British seafood, and Mitch has spent his career making it easier for us to do so. ‘Our nation is sitting on some of the finest fishing grounds in the world, and there is a huge variety of extraordinary fish, caught by local boats, that are every bit as delicious as the more popular choices – and in far better shape,’ he says.
When we ditch convenience for seasonality and seek out what is genuinely at its best right now, everyone benefits – we get to support local supply chains and sustainable fishing while eating far better, tastier food.
‘As a team we’re committed to championing British seafood – making it more accessible, less intimidating and something people feel genuinely excited about cooking and eating,’ enthuses Mitch. ‘The fish on our coastline is extraordinary. When you’re eating a piece of British seafood caught with care, it’s a champagne moment.’
Rockfish Restaurants
The Rockfish tagline ‘tomorrow’s fish are still in the sea’ sums up the ethos of Mitch Tonks’ award-winning restaurants. The first Rockfish opened in Dartmouth in 2010, and today there are 12 spread across the South Devon and Dorset coast. Each one serves up sustainable seafood, sourced daily from Brixham Fish Market or from MSC-certified fisheries. To make a booking and find out more about the restaurants and events such as Sardine Festival Brixham, visit therockfish.co.uk.
