1. Store-cupboard essentials

Cooking seafood is quick and easy. The best way is to keep it uncomplicated. I always make sure I have a good selection of olive oils, loads of fresh herbs, lemons, capers and vinegars. From this little army you can create some wonderful dishes.

2. Herb-stuffed fish supper

Slash a sea bass or sea bream, weighing about 450g, a couple of times, stuff it with rosemary, thyme or fresh bay leaves, rub with olive oil and roast for 20 minutes in a hot oven.

3. Season with fennel

Fennel is another herb that I always have around, as are fennel seeds. I like to grind fennel seeds and sea salt together and season fish or shellfish before cooking.

4. Speedy spiced tagine

I like spicy food and always keep packs of spice from www.sambavaspices.com, which is run by my friend James. His tagine mix is the best, so if you get some, try this: gently sweat some finely chopped onions, ginger and garlic in a little olive oil, add a couple of spoonfuls of the spice mix, some chunks of gurnard, monkfish and mussels, simmer gently for 20 minutes, season then add a good squeeze of lemon and some finely chopped coriander for a really quick seafood tagine.

5. Chilli jam

A great ingredient is chilli jam from the Devon chilli farm (www.southdevonchillifarm.co.uk). I like to brush it onto mackerel before barbecuing or stir a tablespoon or two with some coriander into some freshly steamed clams.

6. Hot lobster

Mix a bit of chilli jam with a little vinegar, sugar and some fresh chopped chilli, and baste your lobster as it cooks over charcoal or under the grill. You can also sprinkle it with some Greek oregano, lemon juice and sea salt before grilling.

7. Tuna with anchovies

Roll anchovies in chopped coriander, freeze them, then poke them into a tuna steak and grill it. Finish with a squeeze of lemon.

8. Find a friendly fishmonger

If preparing fish seems a bit scary or time-consuming just get your fishmonger to do the work.

9. Quick fish soup

You can pull together a really impressive fish soup in no time if you ask your fishmonger to do some of the work: ask for a red mullet cut into chunks on the bone, a gurnard and a small handful each of mussels and clams. Sweat some finely chopped onions and garlic in olive oil with fresh thyme, add a splash of Pernod, a pinch of saffron, a few chopped tomatoes (or look for Cirio tomato sauce), add the fish, cover with water and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add parsley and then season before serving.

10. Pickles for fish

I love fried fish and I really like to eat pickles with it. Finely sliced pickled onions tossed with flat leaf parsley, capers and some little gem lettuces, dressed with just some salt, pepper, red wine vinegar and olive oil is a perfect foil for any piece of fried fish.

· Mitch Tonks is founder of the FishWorks chain, and is opening a new waterside restaurant called The Seahorse in Dartmouth in April