For Chef Cosmo Goss, fishing and cooking have a lot in common. You make a decision, see what happens, and adjust. Sometimes it all comes together. Sometimes you’re already thinking about what you’ll do differently next time. Either way, you want another shot.
That shared curiosity is where Huk & Cook begins. Our new series brings chefs onto the water to fish, harvest, cook, and share a meal along the way. We’re getting to know the people who grow and catch our seafood, and exploring how those relationships carry into restaurant kitchens and onto the plate.
For Episode 1, we joined Cosmo in New England, where a day chasing Boston Harbor stripers led us to the oyster farms of Duxbury Bay.
Striper Fishing in Boston Harbor
Under cloudy skies and on calm water, Capt. Joe Gugino of Fish Boston took us fishing among the harbor’s islands. Migratory striped bass feed here on menhaden, known locally as pogies, with the city close by.
We fished glide baits, topwater plugs, and live mackerel, landing stripers up to 40 inches. Every fish went back. The fishing was part of getting to know these waters; the meal would come from the shellfish that draw Cosmo back to New England year after year.
Two Years Behind Every Oyster
In Duxbury, we met Island Creek Oysters founder Skip Bennett. His path to oysters began with a setback: after losing his clam crop to a parasite in 1995, he tried oyster seed from Maine without knowing whether it would thrive in the bay.
It did. Today, Cosmo describes the oysters as clean and crisp, with a buttery finish. Skip sees two years of work in each one, and he wants the person eating it to taste what he’s grown.
That connection matters to Cosmo. Asking where seafood comes from also means asking who raised or caught it, how they work, and why you’re choosing it. Spending time with those people gives chefs a story they can bring back to their kitchens, share with their servers, and pass on to guests.
Pull Up a Seat
For all the care that goes into the ingredients, Cosmo’s goal is simple: feed people well and have fun doing it. He wants to make the kind of food that stops a conversation because someone has to ask, “Did anybody try that yet?”
Cook with Cosmo
Bring a taste of the New England trip to your own table with three recipes from Cosmo.
Shucked Oysters with Lemon and Jalapeño Mignonette: fresh oysters with a bright, peppery finish.
Grilled Oysters with Brown Butter Aleppo Pepper Aioli: rich browned milk solids, garlic, and lemon.
Grilled Lobster with Urfa Butter: lobster with garlic, Urfa pepper, and a generous finish of butter.
