Meet Bala Paiva, Master Fish Cutter
Catch up with the pro soccer player-turned-fish expert on Milk Street Radio
Before Bala Paiva became a knife-wielding master fish cutter, arguably the best in the business, his passion was playing soccer, and he did so professionally.
“Everybody in Brazil wanted to be a soccer player, and I was right there,” he says. “It was everything for me. It was my life.”
At 17, Paiva was doing what most would only ever dream about, but a few years later, he suffered an injury that would end his career. Understandingly devastated, he went to stay with his friend in Connecticut to clear his mind, and it’s there that Paiva started working at a seafood restaurant. As they say, the rest is history. Now working at Wulf’s Fish in Boston as the Director of Product Quality, he’s amassed a humble 79.2k followers (and counting!) on Instagram for his fish cutting skills and magnetic personality.
“I got another passion now."
Paiva makes it look easy, but he’s been doing this for a while.
View this post on Instagram “A fish so nice they named it twice.” How would you eat this delicious Mahi? 🤤🤤🤤💪💥💪💥💪💥🔪🔪🔪🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟 #fish #fishing #tbt #food #taco #grilled #chefsofinstagram #seafood #seafoodlover #instagram #protein #gohardorgohome #balawulfs #booom
A post shared by Baracat "Bala" Paiva 🇺🇸💪🇧🇷 (@paivabaracat) on May 23, 2019 at 8:07am PDT
From the biggest fish...
View this post on Instagram #TBT . How about some Swordfish Steaks from a 300 pounder? “When big meets bigger 2” 💥💥💥💥💥💪💪💪💪🐟🐟🐟🐟🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡🗡 #swordfish #swordfishsteak #fish #fishing #beast #protein #seafood #seafoodlover #instagram #friday #balawulfs #booom
A post shared by Baracat "Bala" Paiva 🇺🇸💪🇧🇷 (@paivabaracat) on Aug 1, 2019 at 10:59am PDT
To the smallest...
View this post on Instagram Te exotic Scorpion fish. How would you eat that beauty ? 👇👇👇👇👇I would pan roast it with garlic and tomatoes 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🦂🦂🦂🦂🦂🦂😳😳😳😳😳😳❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ #scorpionfish #fish #amazing #wildlife #wild #newzealand #instagram #passion #seafood #food #tasty #fishing #love #balawulfs #boom
A post shared by Baracat "Bala" Paiva 🇺🇸💪🇧🇷 (@paivabaracat) on May 10, 2019 at 10:04am PDT
And everything in between...
View this post on Instagram #TBT ⚠️⚠️ALERT🚨🚨ALERT⚠️⚠️ UGLY FISH GOING DOWN, but also, DELICIOUS 🤤🤤🤤🤤. Loins and cheeks out of this amazing “poor man’s lobster. Enjoy the song 🔊🔊🔊💥💥💥 Turn the volume all way up BOOOOOMMMM💪💪💪🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🐟🔪🐟🔪🐟🔪 @dexter_outdoors #monkfish #delicious #amazing #acdc #protein #instagram #seadevil #passion #fish #fishing #tasty #cheeks #natureismetal . . 🔊shoot to thrill by AC/DC
A post shared by Baracat "Bala" Paiva 🇺🇸💪🇧🇷 (@paivabaracat) on Jul 18, 2019 at 1:56pm PDT
Precision is key:
View this post on Instagram Crazy teeth, hard scales, tough rib cage, but DELICIOUS, here is the Sheephead, many call it “Bay Snapper”, “sh*thead” , “parrot fish” , “sheepie”... 💀💀💀💀🐑🐑🐑🐑🐟🐟🐟🐟🔪🔪🔪🔪🤤🤤🤤🤤Doing a cut over the rib bones leaving the fillet ready to pan fried or however you like to cook it . 💥💥💥💥💥💥💪💪💪💪 #sheephead #fish #fishing #passion #ThatsWhatIDo #skills #proud #lifestyle #teeth #delicious #instagram #balawulfs #booom
A post shared by Baracat "Bala" Paiva 🇺🇸💪🇧🇷 (@paivabaracat) on Jan 19, 2019 at 10:56am PST
“I’ve been doing that for 15 years. Every day.”
We feel sorry for any fish that’s at the end of his knife.
View this post on Instagram When my wife says “you can’t do the bottle cap challenge”. And I say “just watch me.” BOOOOOOOMMM 🤨🤨🤨🤨💥💥💥💥🔪🔪🔪🔪 #bottlecapchallenge #knife #NeverSayYouCant #balawulfs #booom @jasonstatham
A post shared by Baracat "Bala" Paiva 🇺🇸💪🇧🇷 (@paivabaracat) on Jul 5, 2019 at 3:47pm PDT
Except maybe this guy...
View this post on Instagram Would you put your hands inside of the Sea Devil’s mouth ???? 😳😳😳😳Well, my boy @tsteel18 , the Sea Devil killer, did it 💪💪💪💪💪💪😈😈😈😈💥💥💥💥💥🐟🐟🐟🐟🎣🎣🎣🎣 #fish #fishing #seadevil #monkfish #ugly #seamonster #instagram #fishermanslife #sea #amazing #natureismetal #food #seafood #delicious #poormanslobster #balawulfs #booom
A post shared by Baracat "Bala" Paiva 🇺🇸💪🇧🇷 (@paivabaracat) on Jul 16, 2019 at 4:27pm PDT
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