The ink has barely dried on their lease agreement, but Sydney seafood power couple Josh and Julie Niland have announced plans to open a second Fish Butchery in Waterloo.
Fish Butchery Waterloo is set to become a critical nexus for the Nilands’ growing hospitality empire. It’s double the size of its predecessor, allowing the Nilands to centralise their fish storage and preparation, and maximise the all-in-even-the-fin seafood philosophy that underscores the menus at flagship restaurant Saint Peter, and takeaway fish-and-chippery Charcoal Fish.
There are plans to install custom-built dry-ageing cool rooms for their fish produce, and two large marble work benches for customers to watch Fish Butchery staff at work.
“We want to create a space where we can make greater use of the opportunities within each fish,” said the Nilands in a joint statement.
“The kitchen will also become a wonderful training ground for our staff to master their own fish butchery skills and help us continue our mission of ensuring no part of the fish goes to waste.
“We want to utilise our collective knowledge as a team and continue to raise the standard of fish usage in Australia.”
Josh and Julie Niland
(Photo: Rob Palmer)As at Paddington, customers at Fish Butchery Waterloo will be able to purchase fish and seafood prepared to order, as well as fish charcuterie, a range of ready-to-cook items such as albacore lasagne and yellowfin tuna burger patties, plus frozen produce and freshly shucked oysters.
There’s a food menu too: swordfish tacos al pastor, king prawn hot dogs, that double tuna cheeseburger and a hot smoked kingfish Reuben sandwich.
It’s been a big couple of years for the Nilands. Last year, Josh Niland’s scale-to-tail manifesto The Whole Fish Cookbook took out two gongs – including book of the year – at the James Beard Awards, one of the most prestigious awards in global food publishing.
When the nationwide lockdown lifted, the Nilands reopened Saint Peter with a fresh fit-out, a new approach to service, and innovative menu that saw it nab GT‘s 2022 NSW Restaurant of the Year award. Then: a second book, Take One Fish, and the September opening of fish-and-chippery Charcoal Fish.
And with preparations underway for their second Fish Butchery, the Niland empire is expanding in more ways than one – the couple have just welcomed their fourth child to their growing family.
Fish Butchery Waterloo is due to open in mid-January next year.
965 Bourke St, Waterloo, NSW
