New York and Los Angeles, U.S.A-based Seremoni Fish has launched a line of fresh fish products with a focus on quality ingredients and Japanese-inspired practices.
“In Japan many parts of the food system remain traditional – the focus is to feed one person effectively and scale artisanal systems,” Seremoni Founder Saif Khawaja said. “It’s not just a matter of taste or flavor but vitality. Japanese fishermen are so focused on the perfection of their craft, many chefs (and the fisherman themselves) consider it a privilege to buy their fish. It’s a mindset of artisanship over extraction.”
Seremoni draws inspiration from the Japanese Ike-Jime method of fish handling. Quick and humane, the method is believed to improve the quality of the fish’s meat by preventing the buildup of lactic acid and stress hormones that accelerate spoilage and impact flavor. All fishers that Seremoni contracts with are trained in this handling protocol as part of a profit-sharing cooperative which incentivizes care in handling.
Seremoni’s quality has impressed discerning chefs, including Sushi Zo DTLA executive chef Shimpei Shinohara.
“We source from the best traditional Japanese seafood purveyors – it has been rare to see a similar level of quality with fish handled locally,” Shinohara said in a statement.