Former carpenter Peter is in Irish Fishmonger Award finals

A FORMER carpenter, who is now a Rosscarbery-based fishmonger, has been shortlisted in the last five for the BIM Young Fishmonger award. 

Peter Shanahan of the Fish Seafood Deli  is up against four other fishmongers, from Dublin, Galway and Kerry, for the prestigious title.

BIM’s Young Fishmonger competition aims to recognise and reward young fishmongers and in doing so, raise the bar across the sector in terms of product knowledge and skills.

The competition is supported by well known seafood chef and TV personality, Kinsale-based Martin Shanahan who will provide a masterclass in seafood cookery to the finalists. 

The shortlist of five nominees will now compete in round two and three of the competition involving in-depth visits by the judges to assess their knowledge of seafood, their understanding of quality issues, skills, techniques and customer service.

The finalists will be tested on their business insight and practical skills, in BIM’s Seafood Development Centre in Clonakilty on November 11th. 

This will include filleting and preparing a range of fish and shellfish under time constraints, as well as discussing their future business plans. 

Finalists will receive a specially designed trophy, a place on BIM’s retail development workshops, a set of professional knives and a cheque for €500. The winner will receive a study trip to France and a cheque for €1,000.

Peter Shanahan originally trained as a carpenter and spent many years in the construction industry. 

When the building industry collapsed, he returned to the fishing industry, working in Glenmar Shellfish in Union Hall, fishing on prawn and tuna trawlers. 

Peter saw first-hand the variety and quality of Irish fish caught off our coast and living in the idyllic surrounds of Rosscarbery identified an opportunity for the village’s first seafood retail outlet. 

Peter opened the Fish Seafood Deli in 2011 and the business has gone from strength to strength with two mobile units serving the West Cork area with fresh fish six days a week. 

Peter has also recently opened a second shop in Clonakilty. Peter can offer his customers fresh fish straight from the busy fishing ports of Union Hall and Castletownbere and says his customers particularly like how he can name the boat, skipper and crew that landed the fish. 

Peter previously appeared on RTE’s A Taste of Success programme with his fish cake product.

Now that he has a commercial kitchen, he has further plans to develop new products with the assistance of BIM’s Seafood Development Centre in Clonakilty.