MasterChef’s Galetti to promote Scotland’s farmed and caught seafood
Well-known chef, restaurateur and MasterChef judge Monica Galetti is to be the face of a new campaign called “Sea the People” that aims to encourage buyers, restaurant owners and chefs across the UK to purchase and serve more caught and farmed seafood from Scotland by promoting its quality, flavour and versatility.
Galetti has been named as an ambassador for Scottish seafood by Seafood from Scotland, the national brand that represents the Scottish seafood industry and is promoted by marketing organisation Seafood Scotland.
In preparation for her role, Galetti spent time travelling around Scotland’s coastal communities, meeting people in the seafood industry and forming professional relationships with fishers and processors, entrepreneurs running harbour cafes, oyster growers, fish smokers and salmon farmers from the Scottish Salmon Company (now Bakkafrost Scotland).
‘I’m in awe of their skills’
“Sea the People is vital because, at its heart, the Scottish seafood industry depends on these men and women to maintain and grow its premium status,” said Galetti in a press release.
“I am in awe of their knowledge and skills, and their commitment to provenance at every stage of the supply chain.
“I would love to see UK restaurants and retailers stocking more Scottish fish and shellfish – fished or farmed. At present around 80% is exported.
“We have a collective responsibility to introduce different species to consumers, in a way that encourages them to look beyond the familiar. For me, Scottish seafood is synonymous with the best quality in the world, and we definitely need to be shouting about it.”
Seafood recipes
Seafood from Scotland has created a new information hub for the Sea the People campaign which includes professionally filmed clips from Monica’s experiences in Scotland, a video interview on why she got involved with the campaign, and specially created seafood recipes for chefs to try out in their own premises.
Adam Wing, Seafood Scotland’s head of trade marketing for the UK, Americas and new markets, said: “As a chef and restaurateur, Monica is in an ideal position to encourage young chefs and buyers to take a closer look at what we can offer and to help them appreciate the effort that goes into producing such high-quality fish and shellfish.”
Galetti is best known to many for her role on BBC’s MasterChef, which she joined as a judge for its second season in 2009 and which attracted more than 5 million viewers for last year’s final.
This year she stepped back from MasterChef so she could spend on her family and the Mere restaurant and bar in Fitzrovia, central London, that she runs with husband David Galetti.
