BIM Young Fishmonger Award for Anne Stephens
30th November 2017
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), the Seafood Development Agency, recently announced the winners of the BIM Young Fishmonger competition hosted by food writer and entrepreneur Domini Kemp, held in the Wineport Lodge, Glasson, Athlone, Co Westmeath. The Awards are designed to celebrate seafood retail managers that can demonstrate successful business models, excellent understanding of seafood, coupled with outstanding business and sales acumen.
Anne Stephens of The Fish Market, Maynooth and Scott Smullen of Dunnes Stores, Cornelscourt, are the winners of the 2018 BIM Young Fishmonger competition. Anne took the title in the Independent category while Scott was crowned winner in the Supermarket category.
Anne Stephens is the first woman to win the BIM Young Fishmonger competition. An experienced and talented fishmonger, Anne along with her husband George Stephens, who won the 2016 competition, are a winning team with three successful retail outlets in Blanchardstown, Mullingar and Maynooth.
The judging for the annual Young Fishmonger competition is comprehensive including mystery shopper visits and a practical skills test with all finalists under pressure to fillet and prepare a range of seafood to a high standard under time constraints. Both Anne and Scott impressed the judges with exceptional customer service, seafood knowledge and precision knife skills. In addition to the sought after title of ‘BIM Young Fishmonger 2018’; Anne and Scott will further improve their knowledge of seafood with a trip to Cornwall in England, where they will undertake a two-day cookery course at award-winning chef Rick Stein’s cookery school. BIM will also provide tailored business mentoring training to both winners.
Pictured: Jim O’Toole, CEO BIM, Anne Stephens, The Fish Market, Maynooth, winner of the BIM Young Fishmonger 2018 (Independent Seafood Specialist), with her husband George Stephens, winner of the BIM Young Fishmonger 2016 © Paul Sherwood.
