The brother-sister duo that joined hands to run a legendary restaurant in Mumbai.

Every guest that walked through the doors of the bungalow-turned-restaurant in Mahim for 25 glorious years was received with a warm welcome and a solid recommendation of home-style North Kanara delicacies. The orders would be prepared using the freshest produce he personally handpicked at the docks that very morning. Since May 2020, after his demise, his two children Ankita and Adith Fernandes took full charge of the iconic brand. Two years on, they have given Fresh Catch a new address in Bandra. The brother-sister duo believes this expansion is really a result of Francis’ vision all along. 

The new outpost is already dishing out its ever-popular deshelled version of crab meat drenched in a butter garlic sauce, as well as Chicken Vindaloo, Mutton Rossa Kadi and even a Bombay favourite Bombil Tawa Fry. Vegetarians have a feast waiting for them too. The Veg KingFish Fry is rava-fried brinjal slices in a spicy and tangy masala. Wallachi Amti Aamchi style is a green leafy vegetable in a coconut mild rossa kodi. Vindaloo and Xacuti replaced meat with assorted vegetables. To wash this all down, the Sol Kadi is mandatory. Coconut is pressed on order to ensure a thick, milky density. To end the meal on a sweet note, the 16-layered Indo-Portuguese cake Bebinca is brought in every week from specialised makers in Goa. 

Having grown up around a family that loves to talk about food and later shadowing her father who ran Mumbai’s most iconic seafood restaurant, Ankita, was introduced to cooking from her early middle school days. Ankita wanted to be just like her father and bagged numerous awards in the hospitality industry just like he did.Over the years, Ankita accompanied her father to the fishing docks and developed the keen eye to identify the freshest produce. 

On the other hand, Adith dreamed of following the footsteps of both his father and mother who have made a successful dent in the food and advertising industry respectively. So while youngsters were struggling to choose one line of profession, he had set his mind on two – Restaurateur and Creative Director. 

Adith’s first foot into the food industry started at the cash counter in his childhood. His mum made him sit and observe his father run the show. Every alternate night, his father would share dinner with him at Fresh Catch or at home and give his insights and learnings from the restaurant. Today, Adith transforms all these sharings into practical implementations for the brand. 

A man of many hats, today he balances both professions with his maverick vision and attention to detail. He proudly says he is an amalgamation of his parents.

Speaking of their relationship between the siblings at home and at work, the duo says, “There’s lots of laughs, constant bets to see who is right, and 24/7 support. There’s literally nothing that we don’t do together. Whether it’s eating at a new restaurant, visiting a country or watching a movie that’s just released. Even at Fresh Catch, there’s nothing that we decide or approve without consulting each other. Our relationship at home and work is almost the same. Lots of affection and support twice a day, and a fun fight once every five months.” 

“We usually do everything together. As mentioned earlier, there’s nothing that we decide or approve without consulting each other. To be honest, we are completely different from each other and that’s the best part. We both have our unique styles and ways of functioning. We follow whichever one works and get the results that we want. Our goals are always in sync.” 

Chef Restaurateur Ankita Fernandes

“Our father, the founder of Fresh Catch, Francis Fernandes. While my sister Ankita traveled around the world and worked in reputed hotel groups, and I was writing ads for food brands in the advertising world, we knew deep down that our career will somehow get us back to the lane our father created for us. Our work experience in the food and advertising industry has given us an edge and the freedom to depend on others for help. We are glad that we have each other’s back at all times.”

Fresh Catch co-owner Adith Fernandes

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