If you think tinned fish is just a pantry staple, Becca Millstein is here to change your mind—one beautifully designed, sustainably sourced tin at a time. As the founder of Fishwife, the cult-favorite brand that’s making canned seafood impossibly chic (and delicious), Becca is on a mission to turn your snack board into a work of art and your weeknight meals into an effortlessly cool affair.
Here at The Chalkboard Mag, we’re obsessed with their California White Sturgeon Caviar (because, obviously) and their Smoked Salmon with Sweet & Spicy Zhong, which is basically flavor perfection in a tin. In this edition of In the Kitchen with, we’re cracking open a tin with Becca to chat about the best advice she’s received as an entrepreneur, the challenges (and rewards) of prioritizing sustainability, and how Fishwife’s bold, playful branding became just as iconic as what’s inside.
In the Kitchen with Becca Millstein, CEO of Fishwife
What’s always in my pantry: Lots of rice noodles, chicken broth, Heyday Canning soups and other jarred soups (so convenient), lots of tinned fish, both Fishwife and otherwise, Jacobsen Salt, both flake and their incredible Disco di Sal, more good olive oil than any one person should have (because I have a lot of friends who own olive oil companies), Fly By Jing Chengdu Crunch and their new noodles, Clevr lattes, dark chocolate.
What’s never in my pantry: Various nuts. I used to eat so many nuts and then one day I decided I really did not enjoy them. And bars, I also used to love bars but not so much anymore.
Meal I make in a pinch: Sushi rice, avocado, sesame seeds, our smoked salmon with sichuan chili crisp, steamed spinach, a little soy sauce and a droplet of sesame oil.
A quote or mantra that you live by: Expect the worst, hope for the best. And – there’s no way out but through.
How did the name ‘Fishwife’ come about, and what does it mean to you? My friend Grier who runs an incredible textile company called Blockshop with her sisters found it. I called her the day after we came up with the idea for the company, and she found it while googling seafaring terminology. I looked up the definition – a loud, foul-mouthed woman who sells fish” and suddenly it was the only option. I love it because it gives me permission to swear at work.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received as an entrepreneur? Focus – on the big picture things, it’s all about focus.
How do you stay inspired and creative when running a fast-growing brand? Great question – generally, I’m just so excited and grateful for the opportunity to run the brand that inspiration keeps coming. There have been times – at the end of 2024 – where it was truly such a deeply creatively exhilarating and exhausting year that I felt I needed to really take a good week and change away from the brand to let my mind wander so I could come back refreshed and excited to create many more magical moments. You have to watch out for that creative burnout!
Why do you think tinned fish is having such a cultural renaissance right now, especially among younger generations? The visual element is huge – the fact that every tin feels like this magical gift that you open up and are surprised by. It’s a lot of fun. Younger generations are looking to feed themselves nutritiously and deliciously and very, very quickly – tinned fish is one of the few shelf-stable food products that answer that question. Some of my favorite meals – Fly By Jing Noodles with our smoked salmon and some spinach – are restaurant quality and satiating and take 5 minutes to bring together. As far as I can see, that is the signature weeknight meal of young busy people.
Fishwife celebrates sustainable seafood. Can you talk about the challenges and rewards of prioritizing sustainability in your business? The reward is that you know you’re doing the right thing, and you can be proud of the food you’re feeding people, and the communities and people you’re supporting by buying from certain fisheries and farms. The challenges are that sustainable seafood comes at a cost and it is not a cost everyone can afford. And when you add small batch smoking, high-quality ingredients, handpacking, the cost grows. So it’s a very premium product, which is not necessarily what I set out to make, but in order to live up to the environment and social ethics I wanted to company to live up to, the cost was inevitable.
How do art and design influence Fishwife’s branding and packaging? Our packaging and branding is art! Our illustrator, Danny Miller, has always been an illustrator and hand-drawn typographist – he was never a “branding” expert or even a graphic designer – he is an artist through and through. And we treat every single thing we make at Fishwife as art. I think our customers know this, and they see how much love and work we put into everything we create, and that’s a big part of why they love us and stick around.
What’s your go-to comfort meal (besides tinned fish!) after a long day? Aglio e olio!
My most important goal this year is to: Less phone, more read.
