In the Kitchen with the Pike Place Fish Guys: 100 Recipes and Tips from the World-Famous Crew of Pike Place Fish

by The Crew of Pike Place Fish, Leslie Miller, Bryan Jarr

Seattle’s Pike Place Fish Market—the country’s top fish market—reels in the world’s best seafood recipes in this cookbook with friendly tips and a sustainability approach that every home cook can master   Forget the Space Needle. The true thrill of Seattle lies in Pike Place Market, where the world-famous, must-see, salmon-tossing Fish Guys have been enthralling and educating hordes of fans since 1965. The Fish Guys even inspired the bestselling business book FISH! , which has sold more than 1.4 million copies. In the Kitchen with the Pike Place Fish Guys serves up more than 100 savory seafood recipes and tips answering the most popular question the Fish Guys “How do you cook that?” It features a unique primer on sustainability, with inspiring words from the fishmongers who made Pike Place Fish entirely sustainable in 2011. Located in the nation’s oldest continually operating farmers’ market, which draws ten million visitors each year, Pike Place Fish revives the lost art of selecting and preparing seafood. Home cooks will learn how to cook fish and seafood from the pros, including storage and easy cooking techniques, in addition to mouthwatering recipes like Thai Curry Mussels, Anders’s Dungeness Crab and Bacon Quiche, Cajun BBQ Shrimp Skewers, and Coconut Maple Salmon. Ideas for entertaining friends (who will clamor for the Fish Guys’ clambakes and paella parties) are showcased as well. Readers will easily discover why Pike Place Fish has become America’s most recognizable name in the industry, selling 1.5 million pounds of spectacularly perfect seafood each year. Capturing the fun, free-spirited yet seriously knowledgeable essence of these ambassadors of the sea, In the Kitchen with the Pike Place Fish Guys is the seafood cookbook that will bring a fresh feast of environmentally friendly, chef-quality meals to every home cook.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction

272 pages, Hardcover

First published March 7, 2013

Reviews

[Rene Daihl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book from cover to cover. I really enjoyed the first part of the book where they describe the history, the vision, and the mission of the Fish Market! Since I can't go to the market every week, as I live in Michigan, this will make me feel like I am connected to them! The recipes look amazing - I can't wait to start cooking.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you know anything about Pike Place Market, it’s the place in Seattle where the guys throw the fish. (There’s also that alley where the walls are covered in chewing gum.) Upon my first visit there in 2015, I learned it was a combination farmers’ market/art fair/butcher shop/museum/flea market/restaurant/performance space. The fishmongers of Pike Place Fish (the most famous concession out of hundreds of merchants) are kind of the amalgamation of most all of these qualities.

This delightful, heavily illustrated book brings the spirit of their booth home. We meet the guys and immediately come to understand why they stock the wares they do. There’s a lot of talk of environmental responsibility (they pride themselves on selling 100% sustainable seafood), and it makes great sense.

It’s little wonder why some of these guys have worked at the market for decades. Their love for and knowledge of seafood is boundless and contagious. The recipes include something for everybody; I found easily half a dozen I could make easily; I can’t wait to make the mascarpone-baked salmon with herbs (p. 154) the next time we have company. There are many more I would like to attempt, but *cries in landlocked*.

[Carol M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with loads of fish recipes and rubs for grilling.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Kitchen with the Pike Place Fish Guys is a lively, approachable seafood cookbook that blends practical instruction with the unmistakable personality of Seattle’s most iconic fish market. More than a collection of recipes, the book serves as a friendly guide to understanding, selecting, and preparing seafood with confidence.

What makes this cookbook stand out is its accessibility. The Fish Guys demystify seafood cooking by focusing on fundamentals storage, freshness, simple techniques while still delivering recipes that feel special and satisfying. The tone is encouraging rather than intimidating, making it especially welcoming for home cooks who want to cook fish more often but aren’t sure where to start.

Equally compelling is the book’s emphasis on sustainability. The primer on responsible sourcing and environmental stewardship is woven naturally into the content, reinforcing the idea that good cooking and ethical choices can and should coexist. This perspective adds depth and relevance beyond the kitchen.

From crowd-pleasing dishes to entertaining ideas and practical tips straight from the counter at Pike Place, In the Kitchen with the Pike Place Fish Guys captures the spirit, expertise, and generosity that made the market world-famous. It’s an engaging, useful, and genuinely enjoyable cookbook that empowers readers to cook seafood with skill and enthusiasm

[Aaron Dietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very nice combo cookbook and non-fiction book on the Seattle Pike Place fish guys phenomenon--those people who are famous for enjoying their work and throwing fish (not necessarily in that order). I was really just going to look at the pictures but I kept getting caught reading stuff on sustainable fishing, and more. Major kudos to all of the gorgeous photographs taken by the fantastic music/events photographer Morgan Keuler. What a display of tasty foods!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely some interesting things to try here. But I'm a little underwhelmed by the quantity--when many recipes have to be stretched to fill multiple pages, it speaks to an otherwise slim volume. I didn't know this was the 3rd cookbook from this famous market; I'll try to find the previous ones.