Old Florida Fish House Stages Bluefin Cutting, Sushi Chefs and Sake Pairings

A whole Bluefin tuna flown in from the waters off the coast of Japan was broken down at Old Florida Fish House on scenic Highway 30A in Santa Rosa Beach during a Bluefin tuna cutting demonstration and tasting that began at 4:00 PM on Saturday, February 28, 2026. The restaurant staged a one-hour traditional tuna-cutting demonstration from 4:00–5:00 PM with free admission, then moved into a meet-and-greet and cocktail hour at 5:00 PM and a tuna tasting experience scheduled for 5:30–6:30 PM; a VIP Meet & Greet plus curated tuna tasting menu carried a $75 ticket price.

Sushi Chefs Yok and Teddy led the cutting demonstration while Chef DJ McCracken and Master Sushi Chef Hiroyuki Terada are credited with creating the VIP curated tasting menu. Slayde Martin, Fish House Beverage Director, prepared specialty Japanese cocktails alongside sake and wine pairings during the tasting portions of the evening. SoWal’s event copy described the program as a “traditional Japanese tuna-cutting demonstration” and noted the event was “complete with sake and wine pairings.”

Promotional materials highlighted the fish’s provenance and local firsts: SoWal described the tuna as “flown in from the pristine waters off the coast of Japan,” and 30A/SoWal copy promoted a partnership with Nagasaki Japan Tuna Fishery. Old Florida Fish House and SoWal also promoted the restaurant’s claim that “Florida Fish House is proud to be the only restaurant in the area importing entire Bluefin tuna from Japan, making this event truly one of a kind,” with 30A calling the restaurant “the first restaurant on 30A to import a whole Bluefin tuna from Japan.”

This tuna-cutting show is the Fish House’s second such event; SoWal and 30A noted, “This marks our second tuna-cutting show at the Fish House,” and that “The first, held in 2023 with a whole Spanish tuna, was a tremendous success.” Organizers referenced an origin story for the idea: owners who saw a sushi show in New York “a couple of years ago” were inspired to bring a tuna-cutting program to 30A.

SoWal’s event page carried the practical schedule lines verbatim — “Tuna Cutting Show ~ 4:00 – 5:00 PM | Free admission,” “Meet & Greet + Cocktail Hour ~ 5:00 PM,” “VIP Meet & Greet + Tuna Tasting Menu ~ $75,” and “Tuna Tasting Experience ~ 5:30 – 6:30 PM” — and urged readers that “Spots are limited - Book TODAY!” Tickets were handled via the restaurant’s booking channel.

Promotional copy and the event listing supply clear culinary detail and named talent, but they leave gaps important to anglers and sourcing-minded diners: the materials do not include weight, size, species stock designations, sustainability certifications, or import-permit details. The Nagasaki Japan Tuna Fishery partnership and the restaurant’s “only/first” import claims are presented in SoWal/30A copy and would require direct verification for regulatory or sustainability context. For now, Old Florida Fish House’s program delivered a packed schedule of demonstration, chef-driven tasting, and sake pairings anchored by a Bluefin flown from Japan and staged against the venue’s “incredible views of Eastern Lake.”