Armed with a beautiful Norwegian mackerel, Malone got to work—carefully removing the gills to avoid a bitter taste and turning the leftover chunks into liquid gold through the magic of fermentation. His foraging passion was on full display as he wove in spruce tips, mushrooms, and wild ramps, proving that you can bring ancient techniques into the 21st century. Here’s a fun twist: garum doesn’t even need fish! Malone revealed you can make plant-based versions using kōji (Aspergillus oryzae) or other fermenting agents.

Then came the main event: Malone whipped up a marinade with lemon zest and juice, honey, a pinch of salt, fennel pollen, and Kikkoman low-sodium tamari, then tossed the mackerel on the grill for a quick 8-10 minutes per side. He proceeded to assemble a vibrant salad with lovage, fennel crowns, and parsley which he then stuffed inside the cooked fish to let all those flavors “fumigate” together. 

The final result? A whole fish presented head-to-tail, dressed up with lemon wedges, delicate borage blossoms, fennel pollen, wild ramp oil, and a drizzle of homemade garum.

Making Headlines

Chef Nathaniel was also honored as a Kitchen Collaborative Flavor Champion by Flavor & The Menu for his innovative Chaat Lentil Waffle with Tikka Lamb Ham. Malone developed this new dish that merges the comforting format of a waffle with the vibrant flavors of chaat, a family South Asian street snack that combines sweet, sour, spicy, and tangy tastes.

Chefs Nathaniel Malone, Brandon Gump, and Andrew Hunter at Worlds of Flavor. Photo Credit: Kikkoman Sales USA, Inc.