Michelle Tabbernee – I am joint owner and operator of Molly Malone Seafood. At Molly Malone’s fresh seafood and crab are our passion. We are excited to use our culinary backgrounds to ensure that you will have the best selection of local and international seafood available at our fish market located at the Santiva General Store.
I grew up in Melbourne Australia, moved to the U.S with my family at age 16, and have be lucky to call Sanibel my home for the past 23 years. I have over twenty years of experience in fine dining restaurant management; more than half of that time was right here on Sanibel as the General Manager of the Sanibel Steakhouse. In addition to running the restaurant’s daily operation, I truly enjoyed hosting 4-5 course wine paired dinner tastings. There is nothing better than seafood thoughtfully paired with the right sauce(Australian for Wine).
It is through these wine dinners that I met my Irish business partner Catherine Colfer who was the Area Manager for Coastal Wine and Spirits. Catherine possesses an impressive culinary resume which includes Food and Beverage Director for Guest Services at The Marbella Naples . Area Manager for Coastal Wine and Spirits where she obtained her sommelier level who has impeccable taste and a sophisticated palate. She too relocated to the U.S at a young age, from Dublin, Ireland and has spent the last 18 years calling Sanibel her home.
Our shared passion and life time experience with great food and wine has led us to create Molly Malone Seafood. Our history within the restaurant industry has taught us that exceptional dishes are created by using only the freshest ingredients. Our warm Gulf waters treat us to some of the finest Seafood the world has to offer. Our mission at Molly Malone Seafood is to work with local fishermen and crabbers to bring wild caught Gulf Pink Shrimp, Grouper, Snapper, Stone Crab and other exceptionally sweet Seafood to the tables of Captiva and Sanibel Islands from our new location at the Santiva General Store.