Fish Shop pair: “We don’t need to go further afield, we’ve got it all right here”

Ballater is not an obvious place for a fish restaurant...​ 

Marcus Sherry:​ That’s true. It’s about as inland as it gets for Scotland (the picturesque village is located in the heart of the Highlands in Cairngorms National Park). It might not be the most accessible place but we have solved the problem by sourcing most of our seafood for our restaurant and fishmongers direct. We have a driver that makes regular trips to major fishing ports including Peterhead - which is our nearest at about one-and-a-half hours away - Macduff and Scrabster. 
Jasmine Sherry:​ Our focus is on local. The seafood in Scotland is incredible, especially the shellfish. We don’t need to go further afield, we’ve got it all right here.

Doesn’t the fishmonger element of the business mean you have to offer a wider selection of options? 

MS:​ We want to change people’s thinking about that. It’s a shame that many restrict themselves to a handful of the more obvious species. We want to focus on what is local and seasonal. We don’t have things that come from far away including tuna and warm water prawns and all of our tinned fish is sourced from the UK. We are finding that it is easier to hand-sell something unfamiliar in a restaurant environment than in a retail environment. Ultimately, people are going to have to take it home and cook it. 

How does the fishmonger element of the business work with the restaurant?

MS:​ They work symbiotically. There’s one kitchen that does the processing for both the fishmongers and the restaurant. Any fish that is on in the restaurant is available in the fishmongers and vice versa. It’s an efficient model because each element of the business is able to use the other’s by-products. For example, the fish bones from the fishmongers go into the fish stock used in the restaurant. 

High-quality fish and shellfish have never been more expensive. What does that mean for your price point? 

JS:​ It’s true that the product we work with is far from cheap but we have tried to keep prices accessible. Our snacks cost between £3 and £5 and our larger plates range from £9 to £36. Our lunch menu offers two courses for £19.50 and £24 for three. Our intention to appeal to the whole market is reflected within our drinks offering, too. Glasses of wine start from £5 but we have some bottles of wine that cost a couple of hundred pounds. The menu has been designed in such a way that you can have a three course meal or share a succession of plates in any order your want, which is how Marcus and I like to eat these days. The plates get progressively bigger as you move down the menu. 80% of the menu is fish and 40% of that is shellfish simply because that’s what is available in this area. 

How would you describe the food style?

MS:​ It’s inherently very simple food. We just want to showcase things in the best possible way. I know a lot of chefs say that but that really is the case here. It’s all about the main ingredient. Our dishes include MacDuff brown crab crumpet; Stonehaven lobster taglierini with chilli, garlic and chervil; and BBQ whole plaice with Shetland mussels and samphire. 

Tell us about your backgrounds

JS:​ I’m originally from Australia. Marcus and I met in Edinburgh about a decade ago while working in different places. We went on to run Wedgwood The Restaurant (in Edinburgh). We have joined Fish Shop from The Fife Arms (which is also part of Artfarm).
MS:​ When the opportunity for this project came up it was a bit of a no-brainer for us. Art Farm is a very different hospitality company, it feels like anything is possible. Plus we’re local to this area anyway. 
JS:​ Another big draw was that Fish Shop is a venture created to fit in with what is in the village already. There’s a gap in the market for another restaurant in Ballater and the village doesn’t have a fishmongers. But it does have a great coffee shop and a great fish and shop, so with this in mind we have taken the decision not to serve fish and chips or takeaway coffee. 

It looks quite remote...

MS:​ Being close to Balmoral the area is a popular tourist destination in the summer. The winters can be quiet round here but there are lots of food lovers in Ballater and its surrounding villages. We will also get business from people coming up here to ski. 

What's the interior of Fish Shop like?

JS:​ I’m completely biased but I think it’s beautiful. We have some amazing basket-weave fish hanging above the dining room that have been hand woven by a local artist (Helen Jackson). The feel is casual, we want people to feel they are able to relax.
MS:​ The restaurant has been created with sustainability in mind. Our tables are made from recycled yoghurt pots and a lot of things have been reclaimed or salvaged including the lights, the chairs, the teak on the bar and even some of our tableware. Our teapots come from an old cruise liner.  

You had a royal visit last month. Was that really a surprise?

JS:​ We were given notice but the team only got briefed half an hour before [His Majesty the King and the Queen Consort] arrived so it certainly was a surprise for them. To have Charles and Camilla visit so early on and at a time where there is a big focus on the royals was a real honour, and it was a huge boost to the team just ahead of our official opening. The Royal Family’s Scottish home is very close to us and they love the area. We felt very special that they made time for us.