It’s a mere 42 steps from the doors of chef John Courtney’s Chop Shop in Redstone to The Fish Market Park City (1154 Center Dr, D-200, thefishmarketparkcity.com), his new seafood venture opening early this summer. When Courtney and his wife, Paige, opened Chop Shop in 2020, it was partially for selfish reasons—he couldn’t find the high-quality meats he was looking for and ended up sourcing them directly from local ranchers. “The Fish Market is something I felt like we needed for similar reasons,” he says. “I find myself constantly searching for good fish and having to get it shipped.”

Managing two different food businesses doesn’t faze Courtney, who once oversaw six different concepts at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas. That experience helped him gain access to 11 different docks around the world that will overnight fresh, wild-caught fish to Park City.

The Fish Market will feature a raw fish counter, an ice well for crab and caviar, and made-to-order seafood dishes. The interior will mix mountain décor with an Asian-inspired simplicity. The Asian influence is also showcased on the menu with items such as chirashi—a poke-bowl-like dish with hot rice, sashimi, salmon, tuna, caviar or smoked roe, and a seaweed salad. Classic items like oysters on the half shelf, shrimp cocktail, and clam chowder will be featured alongside a surprising ahi-avocado dish using sushi-grade tuna, guacamole, and rice crackers. The retail shelves will be stocked with quality rice and soy sauces, and you can order sake, wine, and beer (including some specialty options like Japan’s Hitachino Nest White Ale).

The team plans to host monthly pop-up dinners, with the first course at The Fish Market followed by an entrée and dessert at Chop Shop. Short of casting your own fly, Courtney’s new venture may be the freshest idea around.