It’s hard to believe one year has passed – but Sasha St. Germain is already celebrating his first year as Executive Chef at Fish Restaurant and Bar. The former New York City chef, and French Culinary Institute grad made his way up to the Marlborough restaurant, bringing his talent from the city to the suburbs.

And he’s not alone. Lately, it seems plenty of Boston chefs and restaurateurs are looking to bring their cuisine beyond the Hub. With chefs like Jason Bond expanding to Concord and Michael Schlow’s Alta Strada venture in Wellesley, it’s the trend that continues to grow.

Here, Chef Sasha St. Germain shares with BostInno the 5 things he’s learned during his first year at Fish Restaurant, a premier seafood restaurant outside the Boston city limits.

5 Things I’ve Learned After One Year at Fish Restaurant & Bar

1. Our guests are so open to food. It’s true that the past 5 years have really been a time where consumers are so much more into food, aware of it and open to it.

2. I’m learning how to run a restaurant better. Every day I am learning. You need to as a chef. This is my second restaurant as Executive Chef so I don’t have all the answers, I am learning every day – whether it’s tweaking how the kitchen line runs, putting a garnish over there instead of here – just thinking through every dish.

3. I am seeing seafood in a different way. I had tended to think of fish as the more delicate side of the menu, but no more. My eyes have been opened to the versatility of seafood. There are some pieces of fish that are so robust and hearty and fleshy they act like a steak – the Swordfish Chop is a prime example.

4. I’ve learned what an advantage it is to have our own Seafood Truck. Our owner, George Voyiatzis, is hands on and goes and picks up our seafood fresh every day at the piers in our own Fish Restaurant truck.  It’s huge knowing what seafood is coming in, knowing that George has inspected it all, and it is coming straight to us. I’ve never had my own fish truck before- this is incredible!

5. I’ve been surprised how cold it gets here. The other day I was walking to work, and the wind chill just ripped through me. It really made me stop in my tracks and catch my breath!

[Related: 5 Questions with Restaurateur & Chef Jason Bond of the Newly Opened Bondir Concord]