Guest
Umar Nguyen
Episode Number
№4
Umar Nguyen, better known as The Fish Girl, is a chef, entrepreneur and one of Australia’s most passionate advocates for sustainable and under-utilised seafood.
A qualified chef by trade, Umar has built a career that gives her a rare perspective on the entire seafood journey, from the people catching and growing it to the chefs ultimately putting it on the plate.
Through The Fish Girl, she works directly with Australian fishers and aquaculture producers, learning the story behind their product and then taking that story into kitchens across the country.
Her mission is simple but important: help Australia value more of what comes from its own waters.
Rather than focusing only on the familiar species consumers already know, Umar has become a powerful advocate for overlooked and under-utilised seafood, helping chefs understand how these products can be used and, in turn, helping producers create viable new markets.
Her work has also driven innovation.
Umar helped create and introduce wild-caught blue scampi caviar, turning what was once an overlooked part of the catch into a distinctive Australian ingredient now used by leading chefs.
Her influence extends beyond sales. She works across sustainability, education, food waste reduction and industry advocacy, connecting people who might otherwise never meet: fishers, producers, chefs and consumers.
In The 8th Voice, Umar explores where our food really comes from, why so much extraordinary Australian seafood remains overlooked, the relationship between chefs and producers, and what can happen when curiosity replaces convention.
Her story is ultimately about seeing value where other people see waste, and creating opportunity by looking at familiar things differently.
