When it comes to fresh fish, Murray’s are the quiet heroes behind the pass. From early morning market calls at Brixham Market to the skilled hands preparing your wild sea bass or Cornish sole, they’re the ones ensuring the best of the British coast lands on your plate at Cubitt House.
We’ve partnered closely with Murray’s Seafood to source exceptional seafood with sustainability and traceability at its core. To mark our ongoing partnership, we sat down with the team to find out how they operate, what diners should be tucking into right now and why grilled mackerel and a cold pint might just be the perfect pairing.
Tell us the story of Murray’s. Where did it all begin?
Murray’s Fresh Fish started out as a traditional London fishmonger supplying local restaurants and pubs. We built a reputation early on for being meticulous in our preparation and sharp in our sourcing – first pick at Billingsgate helped. These days, as part of the Bidfresh/Direct Seafoods network, we’ve grown our reach without losing our hands-on, personal approach. Every chef, every dish, every detail still matters.
What does a typical day at Murray’s look like?
It’s more of a night, really. While most are fast asleep, our production team preps, portions and packs to individual customer specs. Our buyers are already speaking with merchants and the auctions from Brixham to Shetland. Before the sun’s up, our vans are loaded and out on the roads, delivering fish to restaurants across London. The sales team follows up – confirming availability, adjusting menus and making sure tomorrow’s catch hits the mark.
Has your ethos changed as you’ve grown?
Not really. We’re modern in process, traditional in outlook. The craft of buying, filleting and looking after fish never goes out of fashion; we’ve just layered on tighter traceability, data-led forecasting and more sustainable choices to support today’s menus.
Where do you source your seafood, and what guides your selection?
A mix of relationships, seasonality and sustainability guides our selection. We buy daily from UK day-boats in Brixham, Newlyn, Peterhead and Shetland. We work with trusted farms for Salmon, Bass, Bream, Trout and Shellfish, and we occasionally import specialist species when it makes sense. Here, seasonality dictates flavour and price, and relationships unlock consistency. We follow the Marine Conservation Society’s Good Fish Guide and only use farms with 3rd party certification like MSC or ASC to ensure best practice. If it’s not sustainable, we won’t sell it.
How do you ensure freshness with something as delicate as seafood?
It comes down to speed, temperature and skill. We operate a strict cold-chain from start to finish, with data-logged fridges, well-iced boxes and minimal handling. Every order is processed in-house by experienced filleters, packed in environmentally conscious packaging and placed on ice before heading out on dedicated run routes in our temperature-controlled vans. These vans are tracked in real time, so we always know where every delivery is. We reject anything that doesn’t meet our standards – it’s not just about catching great fish, it’s about looking after it every step of the way.
How do you balance sustainability with running a busy supply operation?
By being honest with our chefs. We suggest better-choice swaps, highlight what’s in seasonal abundance and source only from third-party accredited farms. Internally, we track a Red-Amber-Green list and prioritise low-impact fisheries and farms. Ultimately, if we want choice tomorrow, it is in everyone’s interests that we buy sustainably today. Using more sustainable fish now will help protect stocks and keep options on menus in the future. That also goes for reducing packaging, cutting waste and progressing our plan to lower carbon emissions. It’s all part of the job now.
Are there any lesser-known species you’re championing?
Absolutely. Cornish Sardines, Gurnard, Grey Mullet, Megrim, Coley and Whiting – all beautiful, underused and brilliant value when in season. British rope-grown Mussels and cultivated Oysters are also sustainable staples we think should be on everyone’s menus.
Who’s behind the scenes at Murray’s?
Bill and I look after the Cubitt House account — we’re in regular contact with the chefs across all eight pubs. We make sure what’s delivered matches what’s needed, every time. Then there’s Laky Zervudachi, who leads our sustainability programme and has been in the trade for over 40 years, starting out by pedalling oysters through the West End. Bill began as a market porter at Old Billingsgate and knows every corner of London’s seafood trade, from the auction floor to the cutting room to logistics. If you want a fair price, a perfect fillet and a delivery that lands on time, Bill is your man.
What’s the benefit of working directly with chefs like Ben Tish and the Cubitt House team?It’s a proper partnership. We share seasonality forecasts, flag price shifts early and get real-time feedback from the kitchen. That loop helps us reduce waste, buy smarter and deliver quality every time. We’ve also run some training sessions for the team, including Oyster training, Sustainability training, Fish filleting and preparation – and we’re lining up field trips to Maldon Oysters and Chalk Stream Trout Farm soon.
Do you have a favourite Cubitt House dish featuring your seafood?
Ben and the team have a knack for cooking over fire and letting great fish speak for itself. Anything with line-caught Mackerel, Lemon Sole, a sharing Turbot or wild Seabass cooked simply with lemon and herbs is our kind of food – it’s generous, seasonal cooking at its best.
How do the seasons shape what you bring to market?
Seasonality keeps everything exciting. It means better flavour, better value and more sustainable options. Working with kitchens that adapt with the seasons, like the team at Cubitt House, makes it easy to bring in the best of what’s landing each day.
What’s it like seeing your produce on menus across London?
It never gets old. From the moment that the fisherman catches and lands the best fish from around our island, to our production team preparing it exactly to your kitchen’s spec, there’s pride in every step. Seeing it plated and served to your guests – that’s the real reward. It also keeps us sharp; when your name’s on the menu, every detail matters.
What do you wish more diners understood about seafood?
That the best fish isn’t always the most famous. It’s what’s seasonal, sustainable and well-handled. Trying alternatives keeps pressure off vulnerable stocks, improves value, and often tastes better. And a light touch in the pan beats heavy cooking every time. The weather matters too: when storms roll in and boats can’t land, we pivot to what has landed and to sustainable choices. No plate is worth risking a crew in 20-foot swells.
What’s next for Murray’s?
We’ve just welcomed two brilliant fish wholesalers based up North, who have old-school knowledge and deep connections with the day-boats in their region. This means more access to incredible fish and more knowledge to share with our teams, which we are really excited to learn from.
And finally, oysters and Champagne or grilled mackerel and a pint?
Both have their moment, but on a sunny London afternoon it’s grilled mackerel, a wedge of lemon, salty fingers and a cold pint – you just can’t beat it. Simple, seasonal, perfect.
