31/05/2026
Thanks so much to everyone who came out for our last day. We deeply appreciate all the kind words.
When we decided to buy Chefs Catch, our prime motivation was to provide to the community, something they could enjoy. We wanted locals to be happy and maybe even proud that they had a business right down the street, a business that people would travel from Hobart and even the Mainland to enjoy. We had word of mouth referrals from as far afield as Cairns and not just a few. We always tried our hardest to provide quality and value.
To put a few numbers to the claims here are some important facts.
We put almost $600,000 in wages into the community over the 5 years we ran the business. We never charged any sort of surcharge or increased prices on particular days. Our staff always had free, unlimited access to food and drinks and we encouraged them to take enough for their families if they wished.
Our average net margin was 11% and our cost of good sold (COGS) sat at around 65%. Many times we costed our menu and could have easily reduced the the COGS to 40% or less and our net margin to 30% or more. But that would mean reducing the quality of our ingredients, which was something we were never prepared to do.
We spent around $300,000 to $400,000 per year with local businesses including Georgetown Seafoods, Kyeema and others in any given year. We always maximized Tasmanian ingredients, even down the chips from Ulverstone and would prefer more expensive available local produce to vastly cheaper imported products.
We were never the cheapest food around, we never tried to be. We always focused on quality and value. Our offering was not for "everyone", but we had a $10 fish and chips for all but a few months of the entire 5 years. Very few businesses can claim to have maintained zero inflation for their customers during that time.
We donated generously to local causes and never crowed about it. In fact this is the first time we have ever mentioned it. But those businesses and individuals who came to us for help and found a generous response, know who they are.
Our personal earnings over the time were a fraction of the earnings Sam and I could have earned in our normal careers. But it was never about the money.
Even when we could not pay our own mortgage for over 12 months due to the 35% drop in turnover caused by the foreshore works, we did not raise prices, nor did we put our hand out for compensation from the council. Because business risk is just that and rate payers money should not be spent on other people’s risk endeavors. So we just took it on the chin and stuck to our goal of trying to look after our customers.
The only advertising we ever did was supporting Tamar FM. Which was more about supporting them, than benefitting us. We always believed that any money spent on advertising was better spent on the quality of the ingredients, better equipment or bonuses for staff.
As someone who spent much of their young career in commercial fishing and achieved Master V of commercial fishing while working on prawn trawlers and drop liners in WA and the NT, we sailors have a mantra. “If the boat sinks, it’s the skipper’s fault, even if he was not on board”. The captain is always responsible for the fate of the ship.
So to be the skipper during the sinking of this long time, well established ship that was Chefs Catch means, it is my fault. I have presided over the failure and I take full responsibility. The reasons are as numerous as they are unimportant and all are just excuses for the fact.
So for that I deeply, sincerely and humbly apologise to the community. Many of whom have and share strong opinions about what has happened, but almost none of whom know what they are talking about and as many still who loudly rabbit on about their opinions without ever even asking us for details.
That’s fine, we are all entitled to be wrong, but only a few of us would admit it in public, in the way I am admitting it now. It’s couple of little things called courage and integrity. Little things our social media detractors would never understand, nor do they care to.
So, farewell to our awesome customers and supporters, farewell to our amazing staff, without whom we would never have got anywhere, let alone getting almost tired of hearing “wow that was the best fish and chips we have had in years”, from locals, Tasmanians, Australians and others from all over the world.
We enjoyed meeting you all, we enjoyed serving you all, we tried our best, we spared no expense.
We sincerely wish whoever is lucky enough to serve you next, in this great location, all the best and hope they succeed. We would love to eat some local fish and chips without having to cook it.
My ultimate test for the things I do in life, is what I call the “head on the pillow” test. When I lay down to sleep, how do I feel about the effort I made, the truth I told, the people I helped and the value I delivered. Tonight, I will sleep like a baby.
So long and thanks for all the fish.
Peter, Sam and The Team.
