This summer was one for the absolute books.
Desperately in need of a slower summer and pace, I opted to give myself grace, say the word no more than I said the word yes, and I let go of many of the ideas and plans I had built up in my mind for the summer.
I wanted to soak it all in. Slow mornings, long walks on the beach. Less time online, and more time on the shore. Island life was calling all summer long, and I took advantage of every opportunity to answer the call.
By the end of our two-week-long vacation on the island and following what I can only describe as the best evening of whale encounters on the water of my life, a certain knowing had set in.
I’d had plenty of time on vacation to reflect on what I love writing about, and beyond coastal living and travel, I kept coming back to one thing: seafood.
Seafood has been a part of my life since I was a baby. It’s always been one of my go-to food groups, and I have so many good memories tied to it. From summers on the shore at our family cottage, lobster boils with Mom & Dad, to digging for bar clams on the sandbars and slurping razor clams fresh out of the sand because my older cousins dared me.
A love of seafood is built into my DNA.
So when the opportunity presented itself to go back to school for three days and attend the Nova Scotia Seafood Academy, presented by Devour! The Food Film Festival in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, there was only one answer: yes.
And because sharing is caring…
Here is a daily look at what happened in the kitchen at Devour! Studios – Centre For Culinary & Cultural Innovation in beautiful Wolfville, Nova Scotia from September 8th to September 10th, 2026.
What I was most excited to learn: How to fillet a fish 🐟
My first day of school started with an early-morning alarm: 5:30 am.
For some, this may be your normal wake-up time, but this mermaid is not a morning person. I often joke that I’ll only willingly get up before the sun for two things: a flight or travel and whale watching. So not surprisingly, I jumped out of bed, eager to get on the road and start the three-hour drive to Wolfville: the heart of wine country in Nova Scotia.
I was treated to a stunning sunrise while passing through Sackville, and I immediately took that as a good omen. A sign that I was headed where I was meant to be.
Because I won’t lie. I was so nervous about my first day.
While I’d had friends who took part in the Seafood Academy last year, I had no idea what to expect. But within minutes of arriving at Devour Studios and meeting my fellow seafood-loving classmates, as well as Chef Paul Thimot, I felt incredibly at ease. Especially when Chef prepared us a scrambled egg dish featuring bay scallops.
Seafood for breakfast? This was exactly where I was meant to be.
On the first day, we learned a lot about the various types of fish, shellfish, and of course, lobster. And yes, even as someone who has eaten seafood her whole life, I learned quite a few new facts about my favourite foods.
A BIG part of the day was Lobster 101.
And while I may have thought it would be hard to teach an old “sea dog” new tricks, I’m happy to report I did learn a few new things about lobster, including how to shuck (or deshell) an entire lobster with only a butter knife.
No lobster utensils or crackers required. Though if you’re shucking a large lobster, you may need to upgrade your butter knife to a chef’s knife for extra power. Just watch those fingers!
Our first recipe was a traditional lobster roll, and you know I crushed it. Lobster rolls have become one of the summer recipes I’m known for around these waters and I’m always eager to cook a couple pounds of lobster and whip up some beautiful lobster rolls for friends and family.
But it was so fun to watch my classmates learn how to perfect the lobster roll and figure out the perfect amount of crunch and mayonnaise to add before we enjoyed our creations together over a beautiful Tidal Bay wine from Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards.
In the afternoon, we learned how to fillet a fish. The part of the syllabus I was most looking forward to was filleting fish because, aside from cleaning and prepping smelts every winter, I don’t have much experience filleting fish and it’s something I’d like to feel confident about in the future.
Chef demonstrated with a beautiful salmon, and then we each practiced on a mackerel. To my surprise, it wasn’t nearly as hard as I imagined – he even told me I did a good job! Though I’m sure it will be a little more intense when the time comes to fillet a larger fish. Baby steps, right?
We ended the afternoon by preparing three fish dishes: salmon Gravlax (cured with salt, pepper, sugar, and dill), a beautiful cedar plank salmon, and a beautiful Sole en Papillote dish that was so easy it may be a new staple for weeknight dinners at home.
With full bellies at the end of the day, I couldn’t wait to get back to my accommodations to call home and tell Dan and my parents about everything I’d learned. Including the news that yes — I can fillet a fish!
Is next summer the year you spot me fishing at the wharf? You just never know.
What surprised me most: That you can shuck an entire lobster with only a butter knife.
My favourite recipe of the day: Sole en Papillote
What I was most excited to learn: How to cook halibut.
On day one, it was mentioned that day two would begin with a whole lot of “raw” seafood.
As someone who loves raw seafood and shellfish, this brought me so much joy.
The first recipe of the day was ceviche, which is already a staple in our home, but this marked the first time I made it with an assortment of white fish: halibut and haddock, in addition to scallops and shrimp. I love making a beautiful, fresh scallop ceviche during scallop season on Grand Manan.
We also learned how to make tuna crudo with a beautiful piece of tuna. This recipe is so easy – simply thinly slice a piece of sushi-grade tuna, grate zest from an orange, lemon, and lime, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve and watch your guests be instantly impressed.
In the afternoon, we cooked the most incredible (and easy) halibut dish that will certainly be in heavy rotation at home. We love halibut and have been fortunate to have access to fresh halibut. It’s one of Dan’s favourite fish dishes, and I’ve never felt comfortable enough to attempt cooking it on my own. This braised halibut was so shockingly easy; it’s destined to become a weeknight dish for us.
We also learned how to make a traditional Nova Scotia Hodge Podge, which – surprise! – was served with seafood! A beautiful pan-fried salmon fillet and tasty scallops. In New Brunswick, we’re known for our Acadian boiled dinner or “dîner bouilli,” featuring salt pork and farmers’ market fresh vegetables.
A Nova Scotia Hodge Podge features fresh vegetables, but with the addition of heavy cream and butter, and our dish, naturally, had the addition of seafood.
What surprised me most: That Nova Scotia Hodge Podge is served with seafood! Yum!
My favourite recipe: Braised Halibut in Citrus Broth
What I was most excited to learn: How to clean and prepare squid for calamari 🦑
There’s something you should know about me.
I love calamari.
If it’s on a restaurant menu, I’ll probably order it. It’s my husband’s and my favourite appetizer to share when we go out to eat. And speaking of, if you’re visiting Moncton, my top picks for calamari are Taverna and Lima Peruvian Restaurant. You can thank me later.
By day three of the Nova Scotia Seafood Academy, I truly felt like I had my “sea legs” in the kitchen. To be clear, I’ve always had my sea legs on the ocean. 😉
We very ambitiously learned TEN restaurants on the last day. Which explains why I have fewer photos from the last day, as we eager seafood chefs worked quickly and diligently to learn and practice each of these amazing dishes.
From a traditional seafood boil to lobster bisque and seafood chowder – we covered so much.
The day started with how to make a fish stock, which brought me great joy as I would not know where to start. And my new favourite braised halibut recipe? Well, you guessed it. It requires fish stock.
Problem solved, because after Seafood Academy Day Three, I can now confidently whip up a fish stock on the weekend. After I fillet my fresh fish, of course.
Once we’d learned how to make fish stock, we were shown how to make a beautiful seafood chowder and incredible lobster bisque. Both easy dishes sure to impress.
When the time came for Oysters 101, well, you know this mermaid was ready. I’d travelled to Wolfville with my trusted oyster shucker (no way I was leaving that behind) and was over the moon to be able to show it off to my fellow classmates. And if you’re curious, it’s the original Banjo Shucker, designed and made in PEI by Canadian Oyster Shucking Champion Jason Woodside. It’s truly the best.
But the recipe I was most looking forward to was obviously the calamari. And friends, this recipe and Italian-inspired way of serving calamari has absolutely changed the game for me.
We’re around squid all summer on Grand Manan Island. Squid jigging both on the wharf and on the water is a popular summer activity, and while I’ve squid jigged before, I’ve never actually brought home squid to cook simply because I had absolutely no idea where to begin.
And now I do. And I can make this incredible Puttanesca Calamari, featuring anchovies, capers, olives and beautiful heirloom tomatoes. This dish blew my mind and was perhaps the recipe and dish I was most proud of during my three days at school.
At the end of the day, our mighty crew of newly “certified” seafood chefs gathered around the table to enjoy one last feast together: a lavish seafood boil, beautiful pan-fried haddock and traditional Nova Scotia creamed lobster. It was perfect.
With my certificate in tow, I said goodbye to new friends and started my journey back to New Brunswick with a grateful heart. What an experience.
What surprised me most: How easy it was to clean and prepare a squid.
My favourite recipe: The Puttanesca Calamari
To summarize, I can’t even begin to explain how valuable these three days were to me. I’m very fortunate that my husband Dan loves to cook and does a lot of the cooking at home, but because of that, I’ve admittedly spent less time being creative in the kitchen over the years, especially for non-seafood recipes.
Because y’all know, I could make lobster rolls in my sleep.
The Seafood Academy totally sparked a new interest in cooking seafood and beyond, and it also gave me a creative jolt in other parts of my life. I’m so grateful for this opportunity and look forward to sharing some of these recipes in detail with you this fall!
Boatloads of thanks to Chef Thimot and the team for the warm coastal hospitality and lessons.
Disclaimer: I was very kindly invited to experience the Nova Scotia Seafood Academy and was hosted by the team at Devour Studios; however, all thoughts, opinions, and excitement are purely my own.
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