Welcome to "Cook A Fish, Give A Fish"! In this online cooking class, you will learn to cook delicious local seafood dishes alongside some of the finest chefs from Long Island to Rhode Island. In this unique cooking class, fisheries experts will teach you everything you want to know about the fish, the fishermen and the many benefits of choosing local seafood while expert chefs teach you how to turn fresh fish straight from the sea into fabulous meals you can share with your friends and family!
Also, 100% of the ticket price goes towards providing local seafood for families in need (35 meals per ticket)!
The May 10th event will be led by Executive Chef Renee Touponce from Oyster Club in Mystic CT. Renee will be teaching guests how to prepare 'Squid Ceviche with Rhubarb Aqua Chile & Lightly Pickled Asparagus'. Squid is an abundant species and important fishery in our local waters. Many of us are familiar with squid as it is often prepared as fried calamari however, there are so many other delicious ways to prepare this abundant and tasty seafood. This light and flavorful preparation is perfect for spring and this easy to prepare dish will surely make in into the recipe rotation.
About Renee Touponce:
Executive Chef, Oyster Club
With a passionate focus on local ingredients and a serious position on equality in her kitchen, Renee Touponce is raising the bar on delicious food at 85th Day Food Community (the restaurant group that Oyster Club is a part of) in Mystic, CT, shining a light on ingredients and people.
Touponce joined 85th Day Food Community in 2017, rising up through the kitchens of Oyster Club, Tree House, Grass & Bone, and Stone Acres Farm. In 2021, she was named Executive Chef of Oyster Club.
Touponce’s multicultural background influences both her cuisine and her view of the world. Her upbringing is a blend of Italian and Puerto Rican, with memories of rice and beans on the stove, a lasagna in the oven, and the emphasis on the family together around a big table of food from these two prominent cultures. With her inventive, locally-sourced, sustainable cuisine, she pays homage to the rich, coastal heritage of Southern New England, investigating the ingredients of her region of Mystic and surrounding communities while inventing and recreating the flavors of her youth with products she has access to.
Touponce attended the New England Culinary Institute(NECI) in Essex Junction, Vermont, graduating in 2007. The institute ran a number of restaurants, garnering Touponce constant exposure to the industry. She interned at Apricots in Farmington, where she really fell in love with the kitchen. Touponce worked at Firebox in Hartford, quickly moving from Sous Chef to Executive Chef. There, being a part of the Billings Forge nonprofit, which formerly housed Firebox, brought her closer to farmers, artisans, and people from the community, helping her understand the importance of really knowing where your food comes from.
At 85th Day, her passion for butchery grew, and she threw herself into learning about sausage making, head cheese, paté, breaking down whole animals, cuts, stocks, etc. The same passion for meat butchery shifted her mind toward working with whole fish in a different way at Oyster Club. She focuses on curing fish, aging, sausages, charcuterie, and utilizing what’s otherwise considered waste. “The importance behind using the whole animal inspires me to continue this skill in everything that we do, from the ground to the sea - whole vegetable, whole animal, whole fish. Practicing zero waste and preserving what the world gives us makes me really appreciate all the hands that it connects with along the way.”
Touponce will also be the first to say that “there's no gender in food,” but admits to a time when that wasn’t the case. She says that "for me, as a queer woman, everything is moving and changing for the better. The industry is becoming more aware and educated. In my position now, I can create an environment that is healthy, equal, and safe, where no one has to feel out of place.
What to expect at a "Cook a Fish, Give a Fish!" class:
1. A few days before the class, you will receive a recipe with a list of ingredients and tools you will need to prepare the meal from home.
2. You are responsible for sourcing all of your own ingredients, including the fish. Organizers are on hand to provide advice on sourcing (and substitutions, if needed).
3. On the evening of the event, gather your family, partners, roommates, friends, or pets (or kick them all out and enjoy some well earned time to yourself). These classes are also a great way to connect with fellow seafood lovers from the comfort of your own home. Assemble your ingredients, grab your favorite beverage and log into a Zoom video class.
4. Classes are facilitated by Kristin Gerbino from Cornell Cooperative Extension and Kate Masury of Eating with the Ecosystem. Culinary instructions are provided by an expert guest chef. This is a social setting, and you are invited to relax and interact!
5. As the chef cooks in his or her kitchen, you follow the same steps in your kitchen. And voila! Your local seafood meal is ready to eat!
6. 100% of the proceeds from ticket sales are used to purchase local seafood for people in need.
What you’ll get: guidance on buying local fish ahead of time, a delicious recipe, and step-by-step guidance through an intimate group video with the chef and seafood experts.