In the Kitchen: Stuart Meltzer of Fearless Fish in Providence

Chances are good that you’ve passed Fearless Fish Market, the deep-blue building on the corner of Hope and Braman streets, where Davis Dairy used to be (as they say in Rhode Island-ese). Stu Meltzer started “Rhode Island’s finest fishmonger” storefront in 2019 to “help people feel more confident buying, cooking, and trying new seafood.” Meltzer and his team supply loyal customers with “high quality, local, and interesting” species of finfish and shellfish.

A board member of the Seafood Marketing Collaborative, Meltzer is active in the seafood community. Before landing in the Ocean State, he worked for a Chicago-based seafood distributor for high-end restaurants and retailers, as well as an oyster grower and distributor. With an MBA from Northwestern University, his business, he says, combines his interests in economics, food, and nature. To that end, he wants to teach others how to properly kill a fish. In fact, there’s a video at Fearless-Fish.com where you can watch a video of the Japanese – well, art, if you will – of ikejime, a practice that results in the highest quality fish imaginable.

Meltzer explains that ikejime, translating to “alive kill,” is not only humane, but also mitigates stress in the fish and reduces bacterial growth to ensure better taste and texture (in traditional commercial fishing, the fish suffocate). The ancient method is a four-step process: killing the fish with a spike to the brain, bleeding it out, rupturing its spinal cord, and placing it in an ice bath.

With the help of Japanese native and University of Rhode Island Professor Hiro Uchida, Meltzer trains Rhode Island fishermen to use this method. It’s a priority for him, as he is constantly seeking the best fish for his buyers. “It’s rare to get fish that’s as good as something that’s undergone ikejime,” he says. The process impacts the chemical processes happening as the fish dies. The spiking of the brain and the rupturing of the spinal cord reduce stress and the effects of rigor mortis, as well as the buildup of lactic acid. Bleeding and an ice bath prevent the growth of bacteria.

Inside the market is a cooler packed with dozens and dozens of fish, meticulously labeled by species, the name of the fisherman who caught it,

the harvest date, and the size. There’s seabass from Point Judith, smelts from Nova Scotia, littlenecks from Narragansett Bay, scallops from Nantucket, and white shrimp from Louisiana. Out front, the cases are labeled to indicate which fish were harvested using the ikejime process. Meltzer says this fish can last longer in your refrigerator – up to a week, if necessary. Makes us feel fearless, indeed! 721 Hope Street, Fearless-Fish.com

 

Find Your Fresh

The interactive RI Seafood Finder maps more than 160 partner venues, including restaurants, markets, and wholesalers, that serve or sell local seafood. Learn more at Seafood.RI.gov and follow along on Facebook at @RISeafoodRocks and Instagram at @RI.Seafood.