Shuck it and sea – folkestone harbour arm

Elenor Lambert and Shuck It And Sea is the latest addition to Folkestone Harbour Arm.  Her company Nomad Sorella has seen her cater for all life event across the South East.  Now, settling down on the Arm, she’ll be serving fresh, sustainably sourced fish in sandwiches, salads and platters of dressed crab. Folkelife joined the queue for a rollmop to find out more.

“I started my catering company, Nomad Sorella, 13 years ago and quickly started doing the artisan markets around Kent and London.  One thing about doing these markets is you get to know the other grass-routes suppliers and creators of great food.  When I took on The Yard in Faversham as my first bricks and mortar place, I was able to use a lot of local suppliers from my connections with these markets.  Covid happened, as is the story now, and I went back to being nomadic in my work which helps add diversity to what I do.”

native oyster band

“My partner and I love coming to Folkestone.  He’s in a number of bands that play here; the Native Oyster Band which plays New Orleans style jazz and Ivan’s Allstars which is more funk and soul. But being reliant on events for my catering business does mean you have to ride the wave of being run off your feet one minute, and then waiting for the next event whenever that may arrive.  So when I saw that the Harbour was advertising for a seafood proposition, I went for it.  It’s my style, and pulls on my catering experience. I can have creative salads, small plate dishes, and a mini micro deli to choose from.”

shuck it!

“I was brought up on cold seafood; my dad used to take us cockling along the south coast.  When I saw that this was a gap the Harbour wanted to fill, I knew I could make it work.  I can supplement my dishes really easily, and celebrate things seasonally.  

“My love of making salads comes from when I started out as a chef in Australia about 25 years ago.  I worked for a Lebanese guy called Bhutani and he was a real inspiration.  At the time no one here had ever heard of Harissa and all of those wonderful spice blends.  I’ll have salads that go well with cockles, whelks, oysters (hence the name) and smoked haddock Scotch eggs with a celeriac remoulade.  I also do a nice mackerel pâté.”

bread bowl

“I’m looking forward to the more blustery days on the Arm and have come up with a Bread Bowl containing a fish stew or fish soup inside.  It will be dependent on what fish is available at the time, as that’s very important to what I do.  We can get reliant on the same fish, and there’s so much local variety out there, I’ll be showcasing the best at the hut for everyone to try. 

“What I didn’t appreciate, until I started making them for Nomad Sorella, was the love for a crab sandwich to be so great. There’s a nod to the Scandinavian with my open sandwiches layered with fermented beetroot, pickled herring and other bits and pieces.  There’s shallots, cucumbers and a horseradish crème fraîche and lots of crunchy leaves.  Oh, and then there will be some special bakes too, fresh tarts and other warming things.”

feeling nurtured

“I am feeling very nurtured here at Folkestone Harbour.  I’ve been working for myself for a long time and it’s great to have the support that’s here.  The Harbour team and other traders have all been really helpful, and I already feel like part of this community. I didn’t realise that’s what I needed.  Everyone is working towards a common goal, of providing good food and to have a great time.”