“I can see the bulls#!t from the truth… it’s probably the number one thing that helps me.”
HABITAT
In nature’s stillness, at the shoreline before sunrise; on a winding mountain road, smell of pine and salt rushing in, where the noise of modern life falls away, returning to honesty, clarity and connection.
HABITS
For more than three decades, Costa (Con) has been a disruptive custodian of Australia’s seafood industry, challenging conventions and building bridges between fishermen, chefs, suppliers and consumers. His reputation is rooted in radical honesty and an insistence on transparency.
A lifelong passion for seafood was ignited in his teenage years working in a busy Sydney fish shop. What began as pocket money quickly became a second home and a training ground that instilled discipline, resilience and an uncompromising belief in Quality Quality Quality!
By 26 Con was established as one of Australia’s most respected seafood custodians. Alongside a childhood friend and guided by his mentor the legendary “Godfather” of Sydney seafood George Costi, they built a wholesale business with 40 employees that quickly became the go-to supplier for Sydney’s best restaurants.
Con describes his superpower as an orchestra conductor, connecting fishermen, chefs and markets. He is a relentless scouter for the best produce and producers, championing provenance long before it became a buzzword. While most fishmongers guarded their supply sources, he did the exact opposite: openly naming and celebrating them, working to demystify the supply chain for chefs and consumers alike. This radical honesty and insistence on transparency cemented Con’s reputation.
Con’s inherent respect for seafood and produce extends to seafood handling techniques, which were ahead of its time. His dry cutting and dry shucking practices were pioneering in Australia. This involves avoiding water to preserve natural texture, freshness and flavour, and designing custom work stations to enable staff to work with the produce. He also experimented with dry ageing fish in 2015, borrowing techniques from Japanese traditions.
Provenance, transparency and ethics are Con’s three core principles. He views Happy Fish as a culmination of decades of practice and a vehicle to carry these forward; using the supply of fish as a springboard to educate, expose and build systems that resists Fish Fraud.
“It is like writing a book, a way to gather and share a lifetime of seafood knowledge to educate, inspire, and protect the future”
HONOURS
Bachelor of Commerce, Wollongong University, 1989-1992
Co-Founder, Demcos Seafoods, 1993 – 2008
Sales, Marketing and Operations of Southern Fresh Seafood, 2015-2018
