From the Editor, Leigh O’Connor.
From the gentle whisper of the tide to the rhythmic crash of distant waves, Sea to Shore captures the soul of the world’s coastlines through flavour, fragrance and feeling. Each dish tells a story of salt and sun — the smoky char of Mediterranean octopus, the fiery zest of Thai street seafood, the buttery warmth of New England chowder.
Here, oceans meet kitchens and culture is plated with care. Fishermen’s hands, weathered and proud, bring the day’s catch ashore; Chefs transform it into edible art that sings of home and horizon.
The scent of brine lingers in the air, mingling with citrus and spice — a symphony of the sea. This is more than food; it’s a voyage, a celebration of life where land surrenders to water and every bite carries you from one shore to the next.
Set sail with us on a culinary voyage of discovery…
Once dismissed as the rough fare of weathered fishermen and coastal labourers, humble sea harvests are being recast as emblems of sophistication. The tide has turned, quite literally - as Michelin-starred Chefs from Hobart to Palermo are giving the so-called ‘poor fisherman’s food’ a decadent second life. What was once survival fare is now a symbol of terroir, texture and time.
Ingredients like Tasmanian sea urchin and Sicilian bottarga are redefining fine dining. Discover how Chefs are transforming humble coastal fare into symbols of sustainable luxury.
The humble oyster has also clawed its way back to the upper echelons of culinary prestige. From briny seaside shacks to polished marble-topped bars in urban centres, oysters have re-emerged as a marker of taste, discernment and social capital — a salty little emblem of luxury that tells the world you know your way around the finer things in life.
Cooking with whole fish is a sensory, elemental experience - a return to the origins of food and fire. The gleam of silver skin, the delicate perfume of the sea and the satisfying sizzle as flesh meets hot pan all speak to freshness and honesty in cooking.
Keeping the fish whole preserves moisture and flavour; the bones and skin infuse depth into every bite. Whether roasted over coals, steamed with herbs, or baked in a crust of salt, the result is always dramatic and deeply nourishing. Check out our five delicious recipes that celebrate the ocean.
There’s a quiet confidence that comes from a life lived on the water - a steady calm that holds firm even when the world is pitching at thirty degrees. For Chef Ryan Fitzpatrick, that poise was forged over six extraordinary years as Head Chef aboard a superyacht, where every plate had to be flawless no matter how wild the seas became.
It was an education like no other. Each meal demanded resourcefulness and grace under pressure. Out there, you learned to make beauty out of limitation and to respect the season, the sea and the story behind every ingredient.
It’s that same purity - that reverence for simplicity - that now defines Ryan’s cuisine at Lanai Noosa, where he brings his ‘sea-to-shore’ philosophy home to one of Australia’s most stunning coastal dining rooms.
Salt and lemon, it’s time to step aside. The modern seafood kitchen demands a much more enticing array of flavours outside of a squeeze and a sear. Welcome to The Marinade Cabinet, your passport to the most compelling flavour bases found across the globe.
These aren’t your average olive oil-garlic numbers. We’re talking verdant mojo verdes, punchy calamansi-soy elixirs and yuzu miso glazes that bring umami and a sunlit acidity to the front row.
Anchors away…
