Seafood Solutions

Photo credit: Grazier Photography

From our Chefs Collaborative Statement of Principles:

  • Food is fundamental to life, nourishing us in body and soul. The preparation of food strengthens our connection to nature. And the sharing of food immeasurably enriches our sense of community.
  • Good food begins with unpolluted air, land, and water, environmentally sustainable farming and fishing, and humane animal husbandry.
  • Food choices that emphasize delicious, locally grown, seasonally fresh, and whole or minimally processed ingredients are good for us, for local farming communities, and for the planet.
  • Cultural and biological diversity are essential for the health of the earth and its inhabitants. Preserving and revitalizing sustainable food, fishing, and agricultural traditions strengthen that diversity.

Seafood Solutions

  • Most of the seafood we eat comes from somewhere else, and it’s typically cheap farmed tilapia, salmon and shrimp. What’s more, almost one-third of the fish we catch here is exported, high-value wild species. Let’s turn the tide.
  • Fixing our seafood system is going to take all of us: chefs, fishermen and women, scientists, government, and the public. Chefs can help by building demand for more sustainable and lesser-known species of fish as well as by looking to source more locally. By sourcing, cooking, and serving undervalued seafood, we can help take the pressure off of dwindling fish stocks, ensure abundant seafood species fetch appropriate value in the marketplace, and support fishing communities and our shared environment.
  • Chefs and food professionals have enormous buying power, and this power means that what chefs and food professionals choose to buy for their restaurants and businesses can help build demand for more sustainable seafood, open new markets, and serve as a positive example for all eaters. We encourage chefs to ask more questions and learn about the seafood that they buy, the fishing communities sourced from, and the environmental impact of options available. When possible, steer your suppliers to seafood you would purchase were it available from them, or go straight to the source.

What we’re doing about it.

Chefs Collaborative hosts Seafood Solutions industry workshops and dining events to help educate and inspire fellow professionals and all eaters about sustainable seafood options. We have also hosted Chef Power Hour industry calls on important topics in seafood. Check out our Chef Power Hour recordings here.

Some of our past Seafood Solutions events:

Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to stay in the know, and keep tabs on our Events page for upcoming Seafood Solutions programming!