Here at The Exchequer, we are strong believers in using fresh ingredients that are available locally according to the season. Our Head Chef, Marcin, prides himself on offering daily specials that showcase the seasonal offerings our local area produces and he dedicates time to learn about the journey of the ingredients before it arrives in his kitchen.
We’ve recently introduced Fish Fridays at The Exchequer, where we offer a variety of fresh seafood on our daily specials board, that has been caught and delivered to us straight from Brixham Fish Market.
Every Friday, Marcin will be showing off his expertise and passion for cooking seafood by devising dishes containing the season’s best catches. From chalk stream trout and whole plaice to exquisite River Ex mussels; simply perfect during the autumn months.
As part of Red Mist Leisure, a small collection of pubs passionate about fresh, local, seasonal food and drink; we believe it is vital to source from sustainable companies who share the same values as ourselves.
Our trip to Brixham
In September, a team of Directors and Head Chefs from Red Mist Leisure travelled down to South Devon to visit Brixham, the home to some of the finest fish in the world, where we source the majority of our seafood.
Dining at the renowned Rockfish in the centre of Brixham, the team enjoyed their first evening tucking into delicious local fish whilst overlooking the festoon-lit harbour where the day boats were mooring up and landing their day’s worth of catch, which would soon be appearing at the market the very next day.
At the crack of dawn the following morning, the team donned their wellies and white coats to visit Brixham Fish Market, where the previous night’s catch had been boxed up in ice and categorised into over 40 native species. From John Dory, Lemon Sole and Plaice to Conger Eel, Lobster and Mackerel, the market displayed rows and rows of boxed fish to be auctioned off to various suppliers, including a box specifically marked for delivery to Buckingham Palace for Her Majesty’s supper!
This annual trip allows the chefs an insight into how our supplier’s buyers bid on the most premium and seasonal catches in the morning, prior to its preparations and delivery to The Exchequer and our sister pubs, when it will appear on our menus and specials boards the following day.
From the market, the auctioned fish is transported, on ice, by our supplier Kingfisher Brixham, to their depot, which is just a few miles from the market.
Kingfisher was established in 1984 and has developed into a successful business with a passion for the fishing industry, supplying a vast range of best value and highest quality seafood. With the motto ‘your fish is our business‘ they share similar values and ethos to us, and source all their seafood locally where possible ensuring they always supply the freshest, highest quality fish whilst remaining environmentally responsible at all times, offering exceptional customer service and traceability of all their produce.
Following a thorough tour of Kingfisher’s factory, where the fish is prepped by their skillful fishmongers, the chefs came away feeling inspired with new ideas for dishes and recipes to showcase what our incredible coastal waters can offer. Our Head Chef, in particular, will be offering the very best seasonal seafood from Brixham on our specials board every Friday.
Succulent, flaky, rich, smoked, tender or crispy… whatever your preference, if you’re a lover of beautifully cooked fresh fish and seafood, then our Fish Fridays is a day you won’t want to miss! Book online so we can have your table ready for you.