Acadian Redfish provided by Berkshore Seafood. Photo taken by A.Davis
Wes Malzone, owner of Berkshore Seafood in Holyoke, can be held responsible for the local and in-season fish that are being showcased on menus across Western Massachusetts. After years in corporate America, the Scituate native saw that a large portion of Massachusetts did not have access to fresh and local fish. He ditched the desk and now, three times a week, Berkshore heads to the Boston Fish Pier to hand pick the finest looking fishes for the seafood craving people in Western Mass.
Keeping It Local
Wes takes pride in providing restaurants with species that are prevalent in our waters but have yet to be properly introduced to consumers (a.k.a. underutilized species). Because of Berkshore, chefs in Western Mass are now experimenting with Sea Robin, Tilefish, Redfish (a.k.a. Ocean Perch), Hake, Monkfish and Bluefish. No one in Western Mass is missing fried imported Cod sandwiches when chefs are grilling whole Mackerel and frying Redfish head on. Thanks Berkshore!
Quality. Quality. Quality.
When it comes to quality, Wes Malzone sets the highest standards. The Berkshore website states "The fish you order is more than likely caught the day before, the fillets you order are cut the morning of delivery, and the shellfish you buy are normally harvested 24-48 hours before they arrive in your kitchen."
Wes doesn't believe in buying frozen fish from thousands of miles away when the northwestern Atlantic has so much to offer! He says, "The only frozen product I carry is squid that was caught off of Rhode Island and processed in Rhode Island."
Surprisingly, Wes explained that a lot of Rhode Island squid gets sent to foreign countries for processing and then shipped back to the U.S (more about this in the upcoming Fish are Local, Fillets are Foreign article ). Buyers of Berkshore have peace of mind knowing they are getting premium fish that are locally caught/raised and processed.
Where to Find Berkshore Fish
Berkshore Seafood is a wholesaler and does not yet have their own retail shop; however, Wes does supply to the Berkshire Co-Op Market in Great Barrington and to River Valley Market in Northampton. Berkshore also supplies several of the restaurants listed on our Where To Buy page. He, and Our Wicked Fish, encourages a-fish-ionados to ask their local market for Berkshore products.
Want more Berkshore? Tell your party guests that you hired Berkshore's sister business, Berkshore Oyster Co. for an unforgettable raw bar catering experience! Wes provides the plumpest local oysters and tasty accoutrements for your next formal or casual get together. Invitations to Our Wicked Fish for such events are happily accepted.