Legendary chef and Seafood from Norway UK ambassador, Michel Roux, is calling for a shift in seafood consumption habits, urging both chefs and consumers to embrace a zero-waste, nose-to-tail philosophy.
As the world faces rising concerns around sustainability and food waste, Roux’s approach highlights the untapped potential in underutilised fish parts – from fish heads and bones to roe, liver and even cod stomachs.
“I’m a firm believer that if you take the life of an animal, then you should use all of it – and that should be the same for fish,” he said. “We know there should be zero waste where possible.”
Citing traditional Norwegian dishes like Skrei mølje, Roux praises the cultural reverence for seafood in Norway, which aligns with his own food values. At Le Gavroche, his Michelin-starred restaurant in London, he even served cod stomachs imported from Norway as a garnish, celebrating their texture and flavour.
With more than 75% of a fish often discarded or repurposed as animal feed, Roux believes there is a huge opportunity for chefs to innovate and for businesses to act more sustainably. The Norwegian Seafood Council’s Top Seafood Consumer Trends 2025 report supports this view, showing rising consumer demand for sustainable, whole-use seafood.
As Stop Food Waste Day on 30 April approaches, Roux hopes more people will make conscious food choices and embrace the whole catch.
