Eddie Gilbert's celebrates British Food Fortnight

Ramsgate’s award-winning Eddie Gilbert’s restaurant is celebrating British Food Fortnight (18th September to 3rd October) by sponsoring The National Lobster Hatchery.

Each time customers order Eddie Gilbert’s seafood platter, the restaurant will donate £1 to the Hatchery. The platter, which costs £36, for two, includes a whole lobster, a dressed crab, smoked salmon, oysters, crevettes, cockles, ceviche of scallop and brown shrimps

“We have always been focused on sourcing the freshest, highest quality seafood, sourced as locally as possible – we don’t sell exotic endangered species like blue fin tuna,” said proprietor Jonny Dunhill, who also owns the wet fish shop and gourmet fish and chips takeaway that operate at street level beneath the first floor restaurant. “It’s in the businesses’ long-term interests to promote sustainable fishing.”

Having been nurtured through the most vulnerable stage in their life cycle – when they are part of the plankton – baby lobsters are released at 3 months old. Although they still only measure 1cm in length, they stand a very high chance of survival because they spend their first two years hiding beneath gravel on the sea floor.

Several methods of release are used by the Hatchery, delivering the young lobsters direct to the bottom of the season, so by-passing, potential predators

Where there is a suitable rocky substrate, some are released at low tide Dive clubs release some directly to the sea bottom.

Fishermen also lower trays of juveniles in lobster pots to the sea floor, where they crawl free. They also use long tubes to deliver the young directly onto the seabed from their boats.

Eddie Gilbert’s are also joining forces with wine importer Hix & Buck to run a ‘Bubbly & Oyster Bar’ at the Broadstairs Food Festival. The 3-day food fayre will run from 1st to 3rd October on the seafront Victoria Gardens, Victoria Parade each day Over 60 stall will be presenting the best of Kent's produce: meat, drink, bakery, fruit and vegetables, confectionery and a selection of hot and cold food. For more information, visit: broadstairsfoodfestival.org.uk

Eddie Gilbert’s, 32 King Street, Ramsgate CT11 8NT. See: eddiegilberts.com