To cook a fish is to offer the ocean
I have been cooking the sea for 26 years. I am from this family. For us, chefs from the sea, to cook a fish is to offer the ocean. You can not betray its integrity, either in the plate or if our fish was coming from an abusive exploitation of natural resources. The ocean gives to humanity a big part of what serves for its survival, thanks to the fishes and shellfishes, but also thanks to the role the sea plays in maintaining our ecosystem. But, according to the studies conducted by SeaWeb Europe, 90% of the fishes of the planet are either over exploited (29%) or exploited to the maximum (61%). Very close from us, in the North East Atlantic, almost 40% of the stocks are over exploited. We have to act now!
As chefs, we are passers. We are the link between the industry and the customer. This is why I am convinced that we have a key role to play in preserving our resources. Today, I think that a chef has to try his best to choose species with traceable stocks but also make sure that the customers discover fishes that are less endangered, which are often overlooked even though they are delicious. Around 20 000 species of fishes exist in the world, and we consume only forty of them! For example, we teach our guests how to appreciate mackerel, whose stocks are not endangered and which is delicious simply marinated! I have always tried to choose producers that fight to preserve our environment, who care about diversity and respect it. It is essential, but not enough. To preserve our maritime resources, we also have to build a respectful cuisine, and have good ambassadors in the dining room. Since 2010, I am engaged with Seaweb Europ and the Ferrandi French School of Gastronomy with a competition that has my name. The goal is to involve new generations of chefs to protect our maritime resources.
Each year, this competition rewards six laureates, three in the “student” category and three in the “young professionals” category. They all deserve respect because, as chefs, they care about exalting the sea by showcasing the best it has to offer, through good and noble species, but mostly by focusing on species that next generations will also be able to enjoy. We also have to salute their commitment to the competition. Their approach is meaningful in that that it makes them the voice of a new generation of chefs whose role is not only to cook, but to cook responsibly. Since 2014, we gathered the 29 laureates and finalists of the precedent editions into one crew, The Chefs from the Sea, to let its members talk with one voice to express their vision of cuisine, responsible and committed for the oceans’ preservation.
http://www.seaweb.org/home.php
As chefs, we are passers. We are the link between the industry and the customer. This is why I am convinced that we have a key role to play in preserving our resources. Today, I think that a chef has to try his best to choose species with traceable stocks but also make sure that the customers discover fishes that are less endangered, which are often overlooked even though they are delicious. Around 20 000 species of fishes exist in the world, and we consume only forty of them! For example, we teach our guests how to appreciate mackerel, whose stocks are not endangered and which is delicious simply marinated! I have always tried to choose producers that fight to preserve our environment, who care about diversity and respect it. It is essential, but not enough. To preserve our maritime resources, we also have to build a respectful cuisine, and have good ambassadors in the dining room. Since 2010, I am engaged with Seaweb Europ and the Ferrandi French School of Gastronomy with a competition that has my name. The goal is to involve new generations of chefs to protect our maritime resources.
Each year, this competition rewards six laureates, three in the “student” category and three in the “young professionals” category. They all deserve respect because, as chefs, they care about exalting the sea by showcasing the best it has to offer, through good and noble species, but mostly by focusing on species that next generations will also be able to enjoy. We also have to salute their commitment to the competition. Their approach is meaningful in that that it makes them the voice of a new generation of chefs whose role is not only to cook, but to cook responsibly. Since 2014, we gathered the 29 laureates and finalists of the precedent editions into one crew, The Chefs from the Sea, to let its members talk with one voice to express their vision of cuisine, responsible and committed for the oceans’ preservation.
http://www.seaweb.org/home.php