Wild Alaskan Company
Get Started Login
Prefer to order by phone? 1-833-328-9453
  • How It Works How it Works
  • Our Story Our Story
  • Recipes Recipes
  • Gift Boxes Gift Boxes
  • Facts and Questions FAQ
  • Blog
  • Help
  • How it Works
  • Our Story
  • Gift Boxes
Login Get Started
Prefer to talk? Call us to order (833) 328-9453
draft
Blog Home | Cooking + Recipes | Anchor Points
draft

Time to Peek Inside Our Kitchens

April 2nd, 2020

Our Go-To, Must-Have, No-Nonsense Pantry Items

You know what’s even better than easy access to several varieties of wild-caught fish? — dramatic pause — Access to a bunch of wild-caught fish enthusiasts’ inner-most culinary secrets! Which is why this week we decided to take a peek inside some of our own staff’s kitchens to learn about some of their own go-to, must-have, no-nonsense pantry items or tools they always rely on to prepare their own seafood. 

Aaron Babinksi, our Head of Operations and Supply Chain, and longtime seafood aficionado and chef, works with condiments like:

  • Sambal Oelek, a spicy Southeast Asian chile sauce made from hot red chile peppers, salt and sometimes vinegar
  • ABC Dark Sweet Soy Sauce, which is a rich caramel-colored sauce naturally sweetened with sun-dried palm tree sugar
  • And his classics include: Butter, Salt and Aromatics like thyme, rosemary, garlic and dill

Lauren Sattler, our Director of Member Experience, also keeps things sassy by sticking to global flavor profiles, with the help of her trusted:

  • Shawarma Spice Blend, which she loves on her white fish
  • AlaCena Uchucuta Crema de Rocoto, a creamy red-hot chili sauce from Peru that takes every fillet from good to great
  • And of course, Old Bay, the Marylander seasoning mix of choice made of 18 herbs and spices — including celery salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and paprika

And leave it to our Member Experience Team to whip up some truly creative flavor profiles, like: Victoria Pherigo, who loves:

  • A Dairy-Free Cilantro Pesto, using Nutritional Yeast to give it a cheesy parmesan-like kick
  • Chipotle Vegan Mayo, which is equal parts delicious flavor and texture
  • And her handy Meat Thermometer, so that her fillets never ever over-cook

Sam Peglow, also on the Member Experience Team, is all about the boldness, with his:

  • Tiger Sauce, which is somewhere between soy and chili sauce with a cayenne pepper base
  • Maple Syrup, to juxtapose the savoriness of the fish
  • Fresh Garlic and Limes, aka the all-powerful agents of tang

Member Experience Specialist, Dan LaRoche, has got his own tricks of the trade, such as:

  • Mrs. Dash Original Blend, a fuss-free granulated mixture of herbs and spices
  • Pasture-Raised Butter, because butter wins everything
  • Turmeric & Honey Glaze, which he loves as a marinade on his baked sockeye

And our Member Experience Lead, Aileen Cañas, doesn’t sleep on flavor either with her:

  • Spanish and Hungarian Smoked Paprika, which adds just the right amount of heat 
  • Cumin, for a flavor-trip to the Middle East
  • Everything but the Bagel seasoning, an eclectic melange of flavors that kicks everything up

Finally, I’m all about:

  • Shichimi Togarashi, also known as Japanese 7 Spice, which is a lovely blend of hot, citrus, sea and nut
  • Mike’s Hot Honey, which I sometimes drizzle on a pan-fried fillet just after it’s cooked
  • My Fish Spatula, which helps me effortlessly flip my fillets 

So, there you have it: our staff’s seafood secrets spilled — all for you. Hope these tips and tricks help to take your own seafood game to new and uncharted places. Happy cooking!

Live wild,

Monica

Pictured: A sweet corner in my own father-in-law’s sweet Anchorage kitchen, where creamy chowders simmer regularly, a batch of fillets is always being thawed, and where the delicious game of impromptu seafood hosting is never not being played.

You May Also Like

ground salmon sloppy joe
Sloppy Joes With Ground Sockeye Salmon
Alaska’s Natural Cycles are Nothing Short of Magic
Alaska’s Natural Cycles are Nothing Short of Magic
ice forming on alaska water
Finding Light in the Heart of Winter
salmon poke bowls
Perfect Cold Lunch Ideas for the Warmer Months
How Wild-Caught Seafood Helps Us Nurture with Nature
How Wild-Caught Seafood Helps Us Nurture with Nature
salmon for breakfast
8 Ways to Enjoy Wild Salmon for Breakfast
Wild Alaskan Company Logo
Live Wild!

How it Works Pricing Gift Boxes Our Mission Our Story Reviews

FAQ Seafood Recipes Blog Careers Contact

© 2025 Wild Alaskan, Inc.

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use