About Vii Dohtem
We’re Vii Dohtem, a modern smokehouse rooted in old-school craft. We cure, age, and smoke premium meats fish and cheeses the way they used to be, with skill, patience, and real fire. No shortcuts. No filler. Just depth, umami, and bold flavour worth waiting for. We source quality ingredients from like-minded producers who care as much about craft and character as we do.
From the Ground Up
Don’t be fooled by the slick branding, we are tiny. But this has been a long time coming. It started in the late ’80s, working in a small artisan smokehouse on the Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall, a place not so different from what I’m building now. We used traditional methods, real wood smoke, and took our time. That’s where I caught the bug.
In the ’90s, I found myself in a very different setting. a large factory in Truro, producing hundreds of tonnes of smoked fish for supermarkets. It was fast, efficient, and clinical. I learned a lot, but it only confirmed what I already knew: the best things take time.
Between then and now, I spent years in the digital world designing, developing, and running large-scale web platforms and marketing campaigns in the marketing and fintech sectors. That’s where the polish comes from but the soul of Vii Dohtem is pure smoke and salt. This is a return to the original spark. Small-scale, hands-on, and built with intent. I’m not chasing volume. I’m chasing flavour and I want every cut, cure, and slice to mean something..
Local First
We work with local British producers to source quality meats, fish, and ingredients. Our aim is always to start close to home, building relationships with nearby farms, fisheries, and makers who align with our style and standards. When we go further afield, it’s only because we’ve found something exceptional, our first choice is always local.
No Half Measures
We dry-cure, air-dry, and smoke low and slow because real flavour doesn’t come in a hurry. Every step of the process is deliberate: salt draws out the moisture, time concentrates the flavour, and smoke finishes the job with depth and character. Our smoker breathes naturally, no fans, no forced air, just the quiet pull of rising smoke and shifting atmosphere doing what it’s always done. It’s not the easy way, it’s the only way.
The Packaging Dilemma
We’re moving toward fully recyclable materials, minimal waste, and smart designs that show off what’s inside. Right now, the packaging industry is struggling to maintain a reliable supply of truly compostable options, so for the time being, we’re using a mix of recyclable and compostable vacuum packaging. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best we can offer.
Vacuum packaging isn’t our first choice and here’s why. It can trap moisture and press the product too tightly, flattening texture and dulling presentation. From an environmental standpoint, most vacuum films are plastic-based and hard to recycle, which doesn’t sit well with us.
But for now, it’s the only viable option for mail orders, it keeps things safe, sealed, and shelf-stable on the journey to your door. For local sales, we’re trying to do things differently. We use a smart paper-based wrap that’s kinder to the product, easier to handle, and it looks fabulous. It’s better for the environment, gentler on the food, and closer to how we’d always choose to present it.
We’re watching the industry closely and testing new materials as they become available, always looking for better ways to deliver great food without the waste.