One of the world's top chefs Heston Blumenthal has a taste for Murray cod grown in southern New South Wales and it is paying dividends.

Key points: Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal has bought 1.5 million shares in Murray Cod Australia

Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal has bought 1.5 million shares in Murray Cod Australia His interest in the company has lifted the share price by about 15 per cent

His interest in the company has lifted the share price by about 15 per cent Murray Cod Australia produces 1,000 tonnes of freshwater fish each year

Blumenthal was so impressed by the freshwater fish that he now has 1.5 million shares in Murray Cod Australia and its Aquna brand, which is based at Griffith in the Riverina.

His interest in the company has lifted its share price on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) by about 15 per cent and company directors expect it to increase further.

"Since we listed on the ASX two years ago, shares have gone up 340 per cent, so we expect even more growth will occur now," Murray Cod Australia chairman Ross Anderson said.

The British chef was lured to the Riverina recently after chefs within his organisation told him about the qualities of the fish.

"He came to the farm and looked at how we grow the fish and he loved the way we operate," Mr Anderson said.

"We balance the ecology in the water with algae, bacteria, protozoa which keeps a really clean, white fish.

"He loved the scientific aspects of how we grow the fish and how we can produce a fish that has a better taste than one you'd catch in the wild.

From pond to plate

Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal said he was won over by the high quality and gelatine levels of the fish.

"Because of its fat levels without being too rich, this fish is incredibly versatile," Blumenthal said.

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During his trip to Griffith, Blumenthal met with local Murray cod chef Luke Piccolo to learn how to best serve the fish.

"We have a rotating menu, so over the past three years we have cooked it hundreds of different ways," Piccolo said.

"It was great working with Heston and it was really cool watching the way that he approached the fish.

"The way that he cooked it over his barbeque in some interesting ways, by wrapping it in hay and smoking it, was something I hadn't seen before."

Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal smoked Murray cod while on his recent trip to Griffith. ( Supplied: Nathan Dyer )

Murray cod appeals to Piccolo as it is a pristine, high-end, quality product.

"It's a beautiful milky, white flesh and creamy texture and a mild flavour — our clients love to eat it," he said.

Piccolo said consumer perceptions of Murray cod had changed over the last three years.

"There was a big perception that it was a muddy fish as people were used to eating the old river cod," he said.

"But having a farmed fish that has a really mild and clean flavour has really changed the way that people think about the fish."

Piccolo had the honour of cooking for Blumenthal in his fine-dining restaurant, Limone in Griffith.

"We served Murray cod four ways to him over the course of the menu and I think that he really enjoyed it," Piccolo said.

Griffith chef Luke Piccolo was inspired by Blumenthal's recent visit to the region. ( ABC Riverina: Hannah Laxton-Koonce )

However, outside the restaurant Piccolo prefers a more authentic Murray cod experience.

"I actually love cooking it in a camp oven by the river," Piccolo said.

"It just slightly steams and you make a beautiful sauce.

"There's nothing better than eating Murray cod by the Murrumbidgee River."

After his trip to the Riverina to see the fish grown from pond to plate, Blumenthal has left with a new menu in mind.

"You can roast it, you can pan-fry it, you can grill it, you can steam it, you can smoke it, you can sashimi it, you can do just about anything you want with it," Blumenthal said.

"I'm now thinking about Murray cod ice-cream."

More fishy business in the Riverina

Murray Cod Australia (MCA) was established in 2012 by Griffith agronomist Mat Ryan, and now includes 20 ponds, a hatchery and nursery.

The Murray cod begin their life at the hatchery at Grong Grong, also in the Riverina.

The fingerlings are then transported to the Bilbul nursery near Griffith where they spend four to six months.

Each pond contains up to 40,000 Murray cod. ( ABC Riverina: Hannah Laxton-Koonce )

After grading and meeting the 100-gram requirement, the fish enter the ponds where they are grown out to 1.5–2 kilograms and are ready for sale.

Each pond contains up to 40,000 fish.

MCA managing director Mat Ryan said the life cycle for each Murray cod, from hatching to hitting the market, was two years.

In addition to its 20 ponds, there were another eight ponds being operated by contractors across the Riverina to supply fish to the company.

As well as tapping into international markets MCA is expanding its operation locally.

Managing Director Mat Ryan holding a full-size Murray cod. ( ABC Riverina: Hannah Laxton-Koonce )

It is planning to open a processing plant in Griffith to value add to its fish.

Currently MCA only sells whole fish, but the new facility will produce smoked and filleted product for direct sale to consumers and retailers.

Mr Ryan said it would eventually employ 10 people for the operation.

Further plans are underway to build another 35 ponds on a farm at Whitton, 35 kilometres south of the Griffith farm.

The farm would add another 1.6 million fish to MCA's carrying capacity, equating to about 2,500 tonnes of fish.

"We are lucky that the Murray Darling Basin is the only place in the world that Murray cod is grown," Mr Anderson said.

"Not only do we have the best freshwater fish in the world, but we also grow the rarest."