Coming originally from Bordeaux in France, we spoke to Jerome Caxard who has lived in Gorey in Wexford with his wife and kids for several years. He set up J.Caxard Artisan Fishmonger & Wine Specialist in Camolin a small village in Co. Wexford in October 2022, putting his background in wine and the BIM Certificate in Fishmonger Skills to use.
Tell me about the Shop, when did you set it up, and what was your motivation?
After covid, we noticed a lot more people were shopping close to home and so the idea for the business came about. People went back to looking for good, locally sourced food. I was living in Gorey and saw the need for good quality seafood. My background is in wine, and I’ve always had an interest in good quality food, so I decided to fill the gap in the market in this specific area. I needed to find out more, so I got in touch with BIM about the Fishmonger Certificate training course. The course gave me all the tools and confidence to open my own business. The idea was to provide high-quality wine, fish, and we also do a range of other artisan products such as olive oils, breads and many other products.
Customers come from all over – Bunclody, Carlow, Greystones, we’re far from everybody, but at the same time close enough to everybody, being based in Camolin in Wexford. Ensuring we have an exceptional quality product, gives people a reason to travel out to us. We wanted to let the business grow organically first, and now we have confidence in our business we will continue to grow.
Can you tell me about your fish suppliers?
A large amount of the fish comes from Kilmore Quay, they have great choice and availability, but logistics is something we need to always pay close attention to. We’re a small business, so it can be difficult to commit to large boxes. We deal with many different suppliers. You need to have your fingers in as many pies as possible and figure out who the best supplier is for the moment or day. We need to pay constant attention to weather forecasts, and how many boats are out on a given day – it’s not easy. We have great relationships with the suppliers that we have built up over time which is very important.
Was there a highlight from the BIM fishmonger Certificate training course for you?
I wasn’t sure how the filleting aspect would go as it’s not something I had done too much at home. I was really surprised at how easily this came to me given the correct environment with a proper setup. That was the biggest highlight for me, but the overall feeling that I had the tools and understanding of what was required for filleting was great.
At the end of the day, as fishmongers, we’re working with fresh fish, so managing logistics of this, is the trickiest part of running the business, so figuring this out too was very important.
Tell me about your experience with busy periods, and and the preparation needed.
As we were just a few months opened last year for our first Good Friday, we had considered that we might be busy, however we were slammed! I remember getting fish that morning and having to turn back and get more from our suppliers. It was a difficult day, considering our other fishmonger John was alone at the counter whilst I was organising the supplies coming into the shop. It turned out to be a great day, as we were filleting right in front of customers, so it was nice to see the queues.
This year we were better prepared for the crowds but still managed to sell out of fish by the end of the day. We hope to continue to grow our business year on year. We aim to supply the best fish and experience to our customers. People know that they can dine out, but we aim to provide people with good quality, value products and give them something great that they can make on the pan or in the oven at home.
About the BIM’s Fishmonger Skills Certificate Programme:
Providing a broad knowledge of seafood, the course offers practical skills with solid, fully certified training to anyone working or wishing to enter seafood retailing.
The course is run twice per year in BIM’s Dublin Office and once in BIM’s Clonakilty office for classroom sessions, which include:
- Food safety
- seafood labelling
- Nutrition
- Customer service
- Seafood culinary skills
Students also take part in practical sessionswith training in fish filleting and seafood quality.
The courses also include on site mentoring and assessments in the participant’s workplaces.
A seafood industry trip to either an oyster or mussel farm location is included as part of the course.
Graduates of the course will be recognised for their skills, knowledge, and adherence to the highest standards. This will provide expanded opportunities for enhanced employment and career progression.
If you would like to inquire about participating in the course, visit:
https://bim.ie/seafood-processing/training/certificate-in-fishmonger-skills/
