Executive chef Michael Greenlaw of Atria at The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne, has a hobby that brings lesser-known seafood from sustainable sources to the table.
Atria on the 80th floor The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne commands expansive views stretching from the Dandenong Ranges to Port Phillip Bay. The latter, aside from being one of Victoria’s oldest professional fisheries (its history dates back over 170 years), is also a popular spot for various recreational pursuits.
Executive chef Michael Greenlaw is in charge of Atria’s menu which pays tribute to sustainable growers, graziers and fishermen through respectful connection with the locale and the understanding of Victoria’s seasons.
He tries to first source for everything from within Melbourne or the surrounds. “We lean on all of our suppliers locally, and we try to do that as much as we can. But then we do cast the net a bit wider… Australia’s so unique. For example, we get marron and coral trout from Queensland and scallops from Western Australia.”
When Atria’s concept was conceived, one of the main points was to take into consideration the chef’s interest for sourcing lesser-known fish and seafood.
“I have two big passions in life – one is cooking and the other is freediving. I do a lot of freediving, which is very relaxing. But sometimes it is very extreme – I can dive to about 20 metres. On a good day I can go scallop diving. There are beautiful scallop beds about a kilometre offshore,” he says.
Michael’s passion for freediving lets him do spearfishing too; an activity that has led him to discover more than 30 different edible species of fish. A check with the local fishermen and the hotel’s suppliers revealed that these species were not available commercially due to the lack of demand, and hence were not featured in restaurant menus. “But they are readily available. They’re delicious. So using that philosophy of trying to seek the lesser known species helps to take a lot of pressure off the sustainability of the ecosystem,” he says.
When the chef sees the fish (that he recognises from his dives) in the supplier’s list, he’ll know that they’re in season. He regularly meets up with local fishermen to find out what’s good to serve his guests. He adds that generally, the more unusual fish would just be bycatch. The fishermen would either throw them back, or use them for other things other than commercial (purposes).
One of his favourite species is the longsnout boarfish. “It’s a really unusual looking fish [with its long, tube-like snout]. And then there’s this other one called a grass whiting, which has the most beautiful green and blue colours. It almost looks like a tropical fish, and they hide in all the grass area. And it’s a really delicious table fish.” He adds that there are also all sorts of abalone, which are sustainably caught in nearby Williamstown. Essentially, it’s about opening up that conversation between chef and suppliers, says Michael. “The Victorian fisheries are doing a great job looking after the environment. There are rules and regulations, and they let you know which fish are sustainable.”
Having established a connection with the local fishermen and suppliers, the chef shares that when a supplier sees a particular type of fish that’s in season, he will recommend putting this fish on the menu because it’s readily available. “We can take some pressure off the fish that are low in numbers and things like that. So it goes both ways, but it’s a really healthy conversation,” says the chef who is constantly experimenting with new menu items.
Some of the ocean catch that’s prepared at Atria include the daily Victorian crudo. This is a selection of local seafood, accompanied by white soy and house condiments. Guests may get to try Victorian mussel grilled on charcoal and served with swordfish lardo and lemon myrtle, or Albrolhos Island scallop crudo, complemented by macadamia milk and nashi pear.
The chef points out, “A lot of our guests are very interested in provenance and finding out where the food comes from. It’s good to know that they do care that it’s sustainable and responsibly harvested.”