Rockfish celebrates success with multiple award wins
We were thrilled to have a chat with the chef Mitch Tonks, CEO and director of the sustainable seafood restaurant Rockfish in the wake of the recent successes of the company in being ranked among the Top Companies working for within the UK. The company was ranked 38 on the Top 100 of the UK’s best companies; this ingenious and South West-based hotel business also was named the top 10 business working for within South West. South West.
Rockfish employs over 300 staff, and has nine seafood restaurants and three takeaways in South Devon and Dorset, with plans for three more restaurant sites in Salcombe, Topsham, and Sidmouth. It was founded in 2008 by restauranteur Mitch Tonks and celebrates local and sustainable seafood.
We spoke with Mitch following a strong year for the group, discussing the changes they have made in a challenging staffing environment and how they have significantly improved business and supply chain resilience through the acquisition of two of their major suppliers, Brixham Seafish and Hillside Foods.
He explained that the process of becoming a “Best Company” to work for didn’t take place overnight. Recognizing that retention and recruitment of employees was the biggest challenge they faced in their industry. The management team devised the long-term goals to create Rockfish, an outstanding hospitality company to be a part of with initiatives like ensuring greater understanding of the leadership structure and communication lines to ensure enthusiasm and passion for sustainability across the entire organization as well as reducing and flexing the hours and introducing culture days business training for the management team, and putting paddle boards at the site to boost well-being.
Mitch Tonks said: “I am extremely proud of what the team has achieved at Rockfish over the last few years.
Although the industry is faced with many challenges with regard to inflation and personnel, I believe our investment in our supply chain as well as our workforce gives us an advantage in the market which will enable us to develop an increasingly significant company over the next couple of years.”
Mitch is committed to altering the way we consume fresh fish and seafood within the UK. The team is very cautious in selecting the fish that they will use on their menus. They source directly from the fishing fleet of Brixham and source using sustainable fishing methods to ensure that healthy stocks are kept. The group famously snubbed cod from their menus in June 2022 and substituted it with a more sustainable, local fish.
With brand new restaurants, including a fishmonger, an online seafood market, and various sauces and other accompaniments, they are offering a variety of British canned gifts and fish and other innovative projects; it’s evident that this innovative and sustainable business is worth watching.
Moving forward
Katie would like to see the business grow in the future. company, and has intriguing plans that enable her to reach more customers through her ice cream products through the sell-by-scoop aspect of the operation. Katie has been able to secure a place in the Royal Cornwall Show this year and will attend The Porthleven along with the Falmouth Food Festival.
