Here’s The Dish with Bill Selgrath of Sylvester’s Fish Market and Restaurant

Q&A

1. Where did you receive your culinary training?
I am self-trained. I grew up working in different restaurants as a young person.

2. What is your favorite ingredient to work with, and why?
Seafood, of course. Partly just because I enjoy eating it, but it also lends itself into good dietary requirements and there are so many different ways to prepare it.

3. Why did you decide to become a chef?
Buying Sylvester’s was the opportunity to own my own business, and since it was a restaurant it was very appealing, especially being in a town like Avalon.

4. If you left Seven Mile Beach to go cook somewhere else, where would you go?
I would go to Key West to try to keep cooking.

5. Name a chef you admire, and why.
I admire Gordan Ramsay. He’s very intense and dedicated and detailed, just from watching his different shows.

6. What is your favorite charity to work with, and why?
actually have two: For Pete’s Sake and the Brendan Borek Fund. Mainly because they mirror each other, Brendan’s Fund being for children and For Pete’s Sake dealing with cancer in adults. Pete [Bossow] was a classmate of mine at LaSalle and when [For Pete’s Sake] first began, it really spoke to younger adults that are going through that situation.

7. How do you keep up with the food trends in the industry?
I read industry trade periodicals of different types like Restaurant News online and seeing what will work at Sylvester’s.

8. Is there a new dish on your menu this year you are most excited about, and why?
Well, we’re actually excited about the recipe to put on the swordfish that we are highlighting. It transfers to different fish on the menu and we plan on utilizing it on different fish. It’s our butter lemon sauce and mix of Key West-style spices.

9. What do you like the most about Seven Mile Beach?
I enjoy that there is a nice mix of owners, vacationers, weekenders, and they all add to making it a great beach town. It’s a nice blend of community.

10. What is your favorite Seven Mile memory?
Purchasing Sylvester’s and having the first season here as an owner 17 years ago. It kicked off almost two decades of being involved in the town and the community.