In doing so, Harbour Lights became one of the first fish and chip restaurants in Cornwall where all cod, haddock and plaice is MSC certified. Introducing a specials board proved the perfect and very simple way to showcase the variety of the Cornish catch and work hand-in-hand with the fishermen. Every day, according to what is available, four or five fresh Cornish species are promoted as the “fish of the day” and this is popular with both locals and visitors. For the locals, it’s regarded as a way of supporting their own community, while for the many visitors it meets a desire to indulge in all things Cornish. In fact at Harbour Lights it really can be a 100% Cornish experience alongside the Cornish fish options, the chips are always made from Cornish potatoes and Cornish drinks are available too. With a passion that explains Pete’s determination to encourage customers to try something different, he said: “Celebrating fish and chips is our motto and is at the heart of everything we do; fish and chips is in our DNA. But protecting the industry now and for future generations can only be achieved by responsible sourcing of our ingredients. “There are over 40 different species of fish landed at Newlyn Harbour and most of it gets shipped out to Europe. We must get braver in our choice of fish, so we do what we can to mix it up a bit. We have run cod-free days to encourage diversification and actually on a taste test Cornish hake (which is landed in abundance here all year round) came out on top. But we are all creatures of habit and order cod or haddock without thinking.” Over the past five years, the Harbour Lights has seen a marked increase in people choosing the Cornish fish options, which are supplied by Matthew Stevens and Sons of St Ives, but noticed a spike in popularity this year.
For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.westbriton.co.uk/pioneering-fish-fryers/story-28327969-detail/story.html