The Fish Girl: Fighting food waste in the seafood sector
Umar Nguyen is a chef, providore, entrepreneur and influencer. She is known as the Fish Girl on social media, with more than 11,000 followers on Instagram alone. Passionate about food, Umar found herself exposed to the seafood supply chain and saw opportunities to promote underutilised and different fish species. She is also on a mission to help chefs and restaurants increase yield and reduce waste from fish. Through her business, Platinum Providore, Umar is introducing a new generation to exciting local seafood varieties and reviving lost preparation techniques that emphasise use of the whole fish.
Umar Nguyen talks to Food Waste Matters about her journey as the Fish Girl, educating industry about sustainable approaches to seafood, while valorising new and interesting product varieties.
- Processors and chefs are challenged in utilising seafood byproducts due to staff shortages and low consumer awareness
- There are many useful and delicious products that can be recovered from waste streams in the seafood industry
- Emphasising underutilised and by-catch species is another way to reduce food waste in the seafood sector
- Collaboration and asking for help should be front of mind for aspiring entrepreneurs
Visit instagram.com/thefishgirl/ to follow Umar and learn more!
