“Honestly, I don’t even know if people know they are a fish, sometimes.”

Meet Renae Holland, the co-founder of Bon Chovie, a fresh seafood pop-up based in Brooklyn, New York. It seems silly to think that some people don’t realize anchovies are fish. To me, it’s pretty obvious. For Renae, it’s a problem – an educational obstacle she welcomes, gladly. Week after week, it’s her job to convince people that anchovies aren’t just the smelly, slimy, salty, dark pieces of mush they’re used to. She wants to expose New Yorkers to this tiny, hard to find delicacy. Lure them in with bold flavors, sell them on jam-packed nutrients and show customers that anchovies are fish worth snacking on.

Good medicine, or so this Jon Bon Jovi fanatic would say. (heh heh)

Renae believes that most Americans have never seen a fresh, whole anchovy. The majority of commercially harvested anchovies go straight to fishmeal and fish farms, with only a small percentage making it to our seafood markets. When she started Bon Chovie, 4-years ago, part of the allure was that they were so hard to get. She’s found only one shop in The Bronx that’ll source her 50lbs of fresh, Turkish anchovies each week. A source she keeps very secret. Enjoy her story!

You can find Bon Chovie every weekend at Smorgasburg food market in Brooklyn. Thanks for watching food. curated! Happy Eating! 

Smorgasburg Williamsburg
90 Kent Ave
Brooklyn, NY  11249

(718) 928-6603
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