Lights, camera, seafood! Bertha Fontaine and the Fisheries Test Kitchen
Summary
<div class="c-field c-field--name-title c-field--type-string c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item">Lights, camera, seafood! Bertha Fontaine and the Fisheries Test Kitchen</div></div></div> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-image c-field--type-entity-reference c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item"><figure> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-media-image c-field--type-image c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item"> <img alt="Three women standing behind a kitchen counter preparing food on a televised cooking show, next to a sign reading "Bertha Fontaine, P.O. Box 1207, Pascagoula, Miss."" height="717" src="https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_width_1275/public/2026-07/Bertha-Fontaines-Fishing-School-2_Crop_Upscale-x2.jpg?h=b4d9cf72&itok=h8E_6TpH" title="Three women standing behind a kitchen counter preparing food on a televised cooking show, next to a sign reading "Bertha Fontaine, P.O. Box 1207, Pascagoula, Miss." (Image credit: NOAA Magazine, Volume 2 Number 3, July 1972)" width="1275" /> </div></div></div> <figcaption> <div> <div class="caption-credit"> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-file-caption-formatted c-field--type-text-long c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item"><p>Fontaine (center) frequently demonstrated seafood recipes on television programs. <span class="credit">(Image credit: NOAA Magazine, Volume 2 Number 3, July 1972)</span></p></div></div></div> </div> <div class="image-download"><a class="image-download-link" href="https://www.noaa.gov/media/image_download/9bb5b6ce-e41e-4874-822b-b617da91ed08">Download Image</a></div> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </div></div></div> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-publication-date c-field--type-datetime c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item"><time datetime="2026-07-20T12:00:00Z">July 20, 2026</time> </div></div></div> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-intro-text-formatted-long c-field--type-text-long c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item"><p>As the U.S. government expanded its effort in the 1950s and 1960s to promote American seafood, the need for charismatic spokespeople became clear — people like Bertha Fontaine.</p></div></div></div> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-body c-field--type-entity-reference-revisions c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__items"><div class="c-field__item"> <section class="l-section paragraph paragraph--type-rich-text paragraph--display-mode-default paragraph--width-body-indent-none"> <div class="l-section__content"> <div id="paragraph-id-50005"> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-body-formatted-long c-field--type-text-long c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item"><p dir="ltr">The scene: Boxy television cameras point toward a brightly lit table. Plates of meticulously styled seafood ingredients sit between charming decorations. With her hair in a voluminous bouffant, an energetic woman in a neat dress and a long strand of pearls speaks to the camera in a soft Southern accent, describing the process as she carefully arranges shrimp on a round of pizza dough. This is an appearance by Bertha Fontaine of the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries’ Test Kitchen on a local Southeastern television program, demonstrating one of the kitchen’s latest recipes.</p><p dir="ltr">In the 1950s through 1960s, the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, a predecessor to NOAA Fisheries, set out to encourage more Americans to cook using fish and shellfish. The Bureau recognized a need for accessible information about buying, preparing, and cooking seafood, and thus the Test Kitchen was born. The Test Kitchen team created, tested, and shared utilitarian and unusual seafood recipes with institutions, home economists, and homemakers.</p><figure class="u-align-center"> <article> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-media-image c-field--type-image c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item"> <img alt="A man in a suit holding up instructional cards in a commercial kitchen, with several fish and shrimp cooking manuals spread out on the counter in front of him." height="516" src="https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_856/public/2026-07/pl23_fizh2218_Crop-2.jpg?h=fd36d670&itok=nDWceeMb" title="A man in a suit holding up instructional cards in a commercial kitchen, with several fish and shrimp cooking manuals spread out on the counter in front of him. (Image credit: NOAA Central Library Historical Fisheries Collection)" width="856" /> </div></div></div> </article> <figcaption><span class="caption-text">A man shows off Test Kitchen recipe cards for a program at Maryland, College Park BCF laboratory.</span> <span class="credit">(Image credit: NOAA Central Library Historical Fisheries Collection)</span><div class="image-download"><a class="image-download-link" href="https://www.noaa.gov/media/image_download/2651429a-acf2-4840-99e7-33b68b66c11c">Download Image</a></div></figcaption> </figure> <p dir="ltr">From filé and okra gumbo to shrimp Christmas tree towers, seafood home economist Bertha Fontaine brought these recipes to life. Formerly a high school home economics teacher, Fontaine’s role with the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries was fast-paced and packed with variety. Her work could include developing imaginative seafood recipes in the Pascagoula test kitchen, traveling across the southeastern United States to conduct fish cookery demonstrations, taping television shows, and holding training sessions for home economists in the preparation and use of seafood.</p><figure class="u-align-center"> <article> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-media-image c-field--type-image c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item"> <img alt="A woman on a television studio set assembling a decorative shrimp tree on a cone-shaped base in front of a camera." height="632" src="https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_856/public/2026-07/Bertha-Fontaines-Fishing-School-3_Crop_Upscale-x2.jpg?h=1af903a4&itok=FidzcPzJ" title="A woman on a television studio set assembling a decorative shrimp tree on a cone-shaped base in front of a camera. (Image credit: NOAA Magazine, Volume 2 Number 3, July 1972)" width="856" /> </div></div></div> </article> <figcaption><span class="caption-text">As the holiday season approached, Fontaine showed TV viewers how to build a shrimp Christmas tree from styrofoam cones, greens, and lots of shrimp.</span> <span class="credit">(Image credit: NOAA Magazine, Volume 2 Number 3, July 1972)</span><div class="image-download"><a class="image-download-link" href="https://www.noaa.gov/media/image_download/adefa353-d49c-4aae-bebb-4ddbe1f55ff1">Download Image</a></div></figcaption> </figure> <p dir="ltr">These training sessions were affectionately referred to as “the Fontaine Finishing School.” Students would visit the Pascagoula laboratory for a six-week period, over the course of which they would learn everything there is to know about around 20 unique seafood recipes. Fontaine taught not only culinary skills for the various fish and shellfish used, but also holistically about the species themselves, frequently leaving the classroom to visit sites of the industry that made the meals possible. As of 1972, Fontaine had trained 25 home economists over 6 years in various state and federal programs, each finishing with their own extension and television demonstrations.</p><figure class="u-align-center"> <article> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-media-image c-field--type-image c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item"> <img alt="A woman in a white uniform stands next to a man in a suit who is holding a large baking sheet of prepared food in a commercial kitchen." height="717" src="https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_856/public/2026-07/pl23_fizh2217_Crop-2.png?h=65de102a&itok=mh9TWbil" title="A woman in a white uniform stands next to a man in a suit who is holding a large baking sheet of prepared food in a commercial kitchen. (Image credit: NOAA Central Library Historical Fisheries Collection)" width="856" /> </div></div></div> </article> <figcaption><span class="caption-text">Anne Davies (left), a home economist, conducts a “fish cookery” demonstration at the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries College Park laboratory.</span> <span class="credit">(Image credit: NOAA Central Library Historical Fisheries Collection)</span><div class="image-download"><a class="image-download-link" href="https://www.noaa.gov/media/image_download/99c9d4eb-222d-42f5-9b0d-88b71610c2f0">Download Image</a></div></figcaption> </figure> <p dir="ltr">The recipes Fontaine taught were developed with ease and speed of preparation in mind. They selected fast-cooking fish and recognized household preferences for pre-processed seafood, ideal for women balancing a job with another full-time career—homemaking, including deciding the family menu. In her demonstrations, she also emphasized using ingredients local to the region, and always considered the availability and regional attitudes toward ingredients.</p></div></div></div> </div> </div> </section> </div><div class="c-field__item"> <section class="l-section paragraph paragraph--type-grid paragraph--display-mode-default paragraph--width-body-indent-left-right paragraph--grid-type--rich-text top-padding-20px bottom-padding-20px left-padding-20px right-padding-20px bg-accent-blue"> <div class="l-section__content"> <div id="paragraph-id-50016"> <div class="l-grid l-grid--2-col"> <section class="l-section paragraph paragraph--type-rich-text paragraph--display-mode-default paragraph--width-body-indent-none"> <div class="l-section__content"> <div id="paragraph-id-50018"> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-body-formatted-long c-field--type-text-long c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item"><figure> <article> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-media-image c-field--type-image c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item"> <img alt="Centerfold from the Test Kitchen circular, “FISH RECIPES from the GREAT LAKES,” featuring several plates of different fish recipes." height="640" src="https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_856/public/2024-09/CIRC201_Page_10_Centerfold.jpg?h=d34f891a&itok=CqkU5YEo" title="Centerfold from the Test Kitchen circular, “FISH RECIPES from the GREAT LAKES,” featuring several plates of different fish recipes. (Image credit: Bureau of Commercial Fisheries)" width="856" /> </div></div></div> </article> <figcaption><span class="caption-text">The centerfold from Test Kitchen Circular No. 201, “FISH RECIPES from the GREAT LAKES.” </span> <span class="credit">(Image credit: Bureau of Commercial Fisheries)</span><div class="image-download"><a class="image-download-link" href="https://www.noaa.gov/media/image_download/bdaf2885-4829-483f-9524-5942225d46f0">Download Image</a></div></figcaption> </figure> </div></div></div> </div> </div> </section> <section class="l-section paragraph paragraph--type-rich-text paragraph--display-mode-default paragraph--width-body-indent-none"> <div class="l-section__content"> <div id="paragraph-id-50015"> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-body-formatted-long c-field--type-text-long c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item"><h3>Explore the Test Kitchen Series recipes</h3><p dir="ltr">NOAA Fisheries predecessor, the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, also ran a print publication called the <a href="https://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/legacy-series/test-kitchen-series">Test Kitchen </a>from 1950 to 1965. The goal was to encourage U.S. citizens to use fish in their recipes. <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/heritage/stories/taste-test-fisheries-recipes-from-1950s-1960s">Here’s a look at some of the most interesting dishes they cooked up in their lab kitchen.</a></p></div></div></div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div><div class="c-field__item"> <section class="l-section paragraph paragraph--type-rich-text paragraph--display-mode-default paragraph--width-body-indent-none"> <div class="l-section__content"> <div id="paragraph-id-50017"> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-body-formatted-long c-field--type-text-long c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item"><p dir="ltr">In 1971, Fontaine was awarded the NOAA Public Service Award for “unusually significant contributions to the quality and effectiveness of NOAA’s public service programs, contributions having such merit to bring extraordinary credit to NOAA and the U.S. Department of Commerce.” She was additionally awarded for contributions to the seafood industry by Florida former governor Claude T. Kirk, the Southeastern Fisheries Association, the Alabama Fisheries Association, and Catfish Farmers of America. Alongside her work with NOAA, Fontaine acted as a seafood consultant for Alcorn A&M University and published a seafood cookbook with Better Homes and Gardens.</p><figure class="u-align-center"> <article> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-media-image c-field--type-image c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item"> <img alt="A woman shakes hands with a man in a tuxedo on a stage next to a podium with microphones, while another man looks on during an awards presentation." height="723" src="https://www.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/default_width_856/public/2026-07/Bertha-Fontaines-Fishing-School-4_Crop_Upscale-x2.jpg?h=b5cf5ac7&itok=R8hDP0_y" title="A woman shakes hands with a man in a tuxedo on a stage next to a podium with microphones, while another man looks on during an awards presentation. (Image credit: NOAA Magazine, Volume 2 Number 3, July 1972)" width="856" /> </div></div></div> </article> <figcaption><span class="caption-text">In 1971, NOAA honored Fontaine (left) with its Public Service Award, including $7,000 and a plaque. The award was presented by Howard W. Pollock, Deputy Administrator (center), and Dr. Robert M. White, Administrator (right).</span> <span class="credit">(Image credit: NOAA Magazine, Volume 2 Number 3, July 1972)</span><div class="image-download"><a class="image-download-link" href="https://www.noaa.gov/media/image_download/9bd8c076-6760-4368-8bf6-f6189e188e93">Download Image</a></div></figcaption> </figure> <p dir="ltr">Bertha Fontaine built a truly unique legacy, simultaneously forging a path for women blending the workforce with homemaking and reshaping the American diet by successfully marketing seafood recipes. Her professional excellence earned the highest praise, with Jack T. Brawner, director of what is now known as the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Region, commending her "dramatic impact on the entire fishing industry of the Southeast" and beyond. Her assessment of her pioneering time in the test kitchen was simple: "I just loved every minute of it.”</p><p dir="ltr">Looking for some new sustainable seafood recipes or expert tips on cooking fish? <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/celebrate-national-culinary-arts-month">Check out NOAA Fisheries’ culinary arts section!</a></p></div></div></div> </div> </div> </section> </div></div></div></div> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-node-focus-area c-field--type-entity-reference c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__items"><div class="c-field__item"><a href="https://www.noaa.gov/fisheries">Fisheries</a> </div></div></div></div> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-program c-field--type-entity-reference c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__items"><div class="c-field__item"><a href="https://www.noaa.gov/programs/heritage">Heritage</a> </div></div></div></div> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-tags c-field--type-entity-reference c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__items"><div class="c-field__item"><a href="https://www.noaa.gov/topic-tags/heritage">heritage</a> </div><div class="c-field__item"><a href="https://www.noaa.gov/topic-tags/history">history</a> </div><div class="c-field__item"><a href="https://www.noaa.gov/topic-tags/heritage-stories">Heritage stories</a> </div><div class="c-field__item"><a href="https://www.noaa.gov/topic-tags/fisheries">fisheries</a> </div><div class="c-field__item"><a href="https://www.noaa.gov/topic-tags/seafood">seafood</a> </div></div></div></div> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-sidebar-next-to-intro c-field--type-boolean c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item">0</div></div></div> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-updates c-field--type-entity-reference-revisions c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__items"><div class="c-field__item"></div></div></div></div> <div class="c-field c-field--name-field-suppress-hero-image c-field--type-boolean c-field--label-hidden"> <div class="c-field__content"><div class="c-field__item">Off</div></div></div>