NOSE TO SCALE
Josh Niland describes his award-winning debut cookbook as a “brain dump”. The humble head chef and co-owner of Sydney’s esteemed Saint Peter restaurant wrote The Whole Fish Cookbook in just eight weeks, all while running one of Australia’s top kitchens and planning for the arrival of his third child.
“I was flat out,” says Niland. “I would start writing before work and then again when service finished. The manuscript was due on January 14, 2019, so when we shut for two weeks over Christmas I just worked from 7 in the morning to 7 in the evening.”
The hard work paid off. In May, Niland became the first Australian ever to claim the world’s most prestigious publishing prize, winning the James Beard Book of the Year Award (he also won the restaurant and professional category).
“It’s hugely flattering and it kind of feels like I’m not worthy of it,” says Niland. “It shouldn’t be seen as an individual award either. I know that sounds cliché, but the amount of work that went into the book, from the photography, to the design, to editing, was a monster effort. Although, we felt like the controlled chaos and time pressures produced the best work, so I’m extremely proud.”
Niland’s deep passion for seafood, commitment to sustainability and attention to detail is cemented in each chapter, from tips on sourcing and storing seafood, to recipes for fish offal, such as smoked spleens
