Chef’s Galley: CHOW Down on Sustainable Seafood

At Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2020, several renowned chefs joined us to demonstrate their favorite sustainable seafood dishes that can be prepared at home. Sustainable seafood is seafood that is caught or farmed in environmentally and socially responsible methods that ensures a supply for future generations and the well-being of the ocean. And, we’ve made it easy for you. Grab one of the recipe cards below and follow along with the Chefs’ tasty recipes. By choosing sustainable seafood, you can help restore the health of our oceans and ensure food for us, our children, and our grandchildren. Bon Appétit!

Nearly one-third of global fish populations are overfished, placing many fisheries at risk for collapse, and over half are already fully-fished. When too many fish are taken out of the ocean, it has a cascading effect on the ecosystem and can lead to loss of other important marine life such as sea turtles and corals, and the fish itself. 

In the United States, both wild-caught and farmed fish and shellfish are managed under enforced environmentally-responsible practices which ensures future supplies of seafood are available for our nation and the ecosystem.  Choosing sustainable seafood has been made easy by FishWatch, the nation’s database on U.S. managed sustainable seafood, and can make a big impact on the health of the planet. 

Xavier Deshayes, Executive Chef for the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center 

Executive Chef for the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center since 2001, Xavier Deshayes is clearly a chef with a calling. Overseeing the kitchens in one of the nation’s largest buildings, and the site for some of DC’s most notable meetings and special events, catapults Chef Deshayes into an exclusive arena of high-profile chefs leading large scale catering operations. Xavier is a socially responsible chef at the forefront of developing sustainable and environmentally conscious menus. He was a pioneer at the onset of the sustainable seafood movement and continues to champion innovative ways to incorporate it into his menus. Deshayes is also very passionate about giving back to the community. He devotes his time to several nonprofit organizations including Best Buddies International and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, serving as a mentor to children and young adults and participating in fundraising events. Born in the restaurant business, as a young boy in Béziers, France, he developed a passion for his craft early in life. With formal culinary training and over ten years of experience in award-winning restaurants he honed his skills before taking over the helm at the Reagan Building. Visit www.rrbitc.com/catering to learn more.

John Livera, Executive Chef/Owner of Red Barn Culinary

John Livera is a culinary consultant with over 25 years of experience in the food and beverage industry.  John specializes in seafood and works with the Norwegian Seafood Council for the education and promotion of sustainable products in the United States.

Michael-Ann Rowe, Emmy Award-winning food and travel journalist

Michael-Ann is an Emmy Award-winning food & travel journalist who specializes in seafood. 

She is no stranger to local and sustainable seafood who was brought up in the Maritime provinces of Canada. 

As a seafood educator with a background in theatre it seems fitting that she is called the Fishionista!

Michael-Ann lives in New York City and serves her neighborhood as a Trustee for the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association.

As the founder of Off the Beaten Palate Productions and the host of Put Your Best Fish Forward web series, as well as the new Fishionista® Channel, she is focused on connecting consumers to the stories and origins of sustainable seafood.

michaelannrowe.com

Kerry Heffernan, Chef at Grand Banks

Born in Pennsylvania and raised in Connecticut, Kerry Heffernan began working in New York City restaurants at age 15. Kerry is currently Chef at Grand Banks, a seasonal Oyster Bar and galley on the deck of a historic cod fishing schooner moored at Pier 25 New Work. 

An avid outdoorsman and seafood expert, Kerry has won several charity fishing tournaments, including the “Manhattan Cup” and the “Montauk Redbone.” In addition to appearing as a guest judge on Top Chef All Stars, Kerry has appeared on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Martha Steward, CBS, and CNN’s American Morning. 

In addition to Grand Banks, Chef Heffernan is also consultant to “Seaworthy” a restaurant in New Orleans specializing in sustainable seafood. 

Kelly Armetta, Director of Culinary Service, Hyatt Regency Boston

Chef Kelly Armetta is an SNP Ambassador and the Director of Culinary Service/F&B at the Hyatt Regency Boston. He has over 30 years of culinary experience and has been the Chef for many of Hyatt Regency’s prestigious properties. Kelly’s love of cooking began at the age of 14, and his philosophy is making real food that people can relate to as well as Hyatt’s food philosophy of Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served.

Kelly incorporates local and organic ingredients into his unique dishes to support Massachusetts’s purveyors harvesting local and sustainable meat, fish, and produce. His mantra is that it is not enough to be a good chef without regard to a product’s heritage and its care. Kelly resides  in Boston, MA with his wife and is proud to serve as a Chef Ambassador for the Seafood Nutrition Partnership.

Kelly recently won the Hyatt Regency Leader of the Year Award 2015 for his contributions to Seafood Nutrition Partnership’s Eating Heart Healthy Nutrition Program.

Johnny Carino, Vice President of Senior Living, HHS

Johnny Carino recently joined HHS as Vice President of Senior Living, bringing decades of experience as a corporate chef, vice president of operations, and an entrepreneur in the culinary world.

Johnny began his career in fine dining for the hospitality industry, where he worked as a sous chef and executive chef. In 1994 he joined Brinker International, where he had the opportunity to build his namesake restaurant concept, Johnny Carino’s. From there, Carino worked with other restaurant groups, opening over 100 restaurants throughout the United States, Mexico, and Asia, and developing 16 new culinary concepts. He also hosted a cooking show on PBS called “Break Me Off a Piece of That” where he focused on sharing family-centered Sicilian recipes.

Carino has a desire to initiate a revolutionary change in dining services for seniors and enjoys spending his career creating nutritious food that helps others live happier and healthier lives. He shares his passion for making healthy food accessible to all by volunteering as an ambassador for the Greenville County School District, the Seafood Nutrition Partnership, and Clean Your Plate Rx.

Carino received his Associate of Arts and Sciences in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University.

Rob Ruiz

A native San Diegan, Rob Ruiz created an edible rice paper QR code to track a fish’s sustainability, an initiative aimed at making the seafood industry more transparent, traceable, and reputable; he has an Ocean Award from the Blue Marine Foundation, and recently added the title of James Beard Smart Catch Leader to his sustainability street cred. He’s a “boots on the ground” collaborator with scientists from NOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science Center, a NOAA FishWatch partner, and an inspiration for students at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego. Rob runs a zero-waste kitchen with meticulous devotion to flavor and ingredients.