Focus on Clerkenwell - Fish Central
Published: 25th February, 2011
by PETER GRUNER
FOR 40 years, George Hussein has been a legend in Clerkenwell, where his fish suppers and charitable work are celebrated.
His popular Fish Central restaurant in Central Street, off City Road, has attracted chef Rick Stein, who included it in one of his recipe books, former Mayor Ken Livingstone, Labour MP Harriet Harman and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
Married with two sons, George employs a staff of 20, who also help run a bakery next door to the restaurant.
As well as his work for charity Islington Giving, he offers lunches at discount for pensioners from noon to 1pm.
“I was always told when I was a child to look after my family, my wife and children, and also those who are in need,” he says.
With a previous heart condition he keeps fit, going to the gym twice a week for couple hours to do some stretching, treadmill and rowing exercises. And he still gets up at 3am to collect fish from the market.
“I’m a happy man but I worry that the days of small shops – the lifeblood of this area – will soon be over,” he says. “They can’t touch my restaurant, but small bakeries like mine are regularly being swallowed up by the big stores.”
Fish Central
149-151 Central Street, EC1
020 7253 0229