A Celebration of National Sustainable Seafood Day #SeafoodDay

In celebration of proposed National Sustainable Seafood Day, chefs from around Canada gathered at The Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver to show their support and declare their commitment to choosing ocean-friendly seafood year-round. Hosted by Vancouver's Ocean Wise program, SeaChoice and YEW Restaurant's Executive Chef, Ned Bell, the chefs prepared ocean-friendly seafood tasting for guests. It was definitely seafood heaven for anyone, as there was everything from oysters and mussels to tuna and scallops! It was also nice to see how many restaurants have gone Ocean Wise. Special guest Dr. David Suzuki gave an inspirational speech about how important it is to be sustainable so that we still have something in the future. Have a look at what the chefs whipped up below!

Chef Ned Bell prepared Ahi Tuna Tacos, but I scarfed it down before I got a photo!

Chef Barton Seaver serves up Fanny Bay oysters with Merguez sausage.

Bottoms up!

Black Tiger Prawns in an ice bowl!

Chef Quang Dang prepares Albacore tuna tartar with black sesame and Thai basil.

Sardine Rillettes with preserved lemon, picked ramps and capers, prepared by Frank Pabst of Bluewater Cafe + Raw Bar.

Luma Lobster Burgers by Chef Jason Bangerter.

The Lobster Burgers were definitely a hit with the crowd, judging by the line up for it!

This was the first time I've tried caviar, and I was pretty excited about it. Hearing the story of how caviar is collected is very interesting as well. Northern Divine raises their sturgeon for thirteen years before the eggs are harvested! It is quite the commitment. The caviar has a salty taste as it is placed on your tongue, and as your burst the eggs on the roof of your mouth, there is a nutty and buttery taste.

Farmed Caviar from Northern Divine.

Cured sturgeon with Creme Fraiche, Green Onions and Northern Divine Caviar.

Cowboy Breakfast - Salmon with eggs, beans and pancakes.

Sablefish a la "Helen 2" - tracp caught BC Sablefish with sunchokes, smoked maple bannock, and corn sprout "salad", prepared by Chef Benedict Genaille of Thompson Rivers University.

Szechuan scallops with Szechuan chili sauce and fagara spice, prepared by Chef Robert Wong of The Original Szechuan Chong Qing Restaurant. They are the first Chinese restaurant to become Ocean Wise, and hopefully not the last! 

Chef Chris Whittaker of Forage Restaurant prepares Salish Mussels.

Salish Mussels with forages greens, pickled hop shoots and ruby ale dressing.

Chef Robert Clark's creation of Spot Prawn Tacos - BC spot Prawns with lemon, lime, avocado, Japanese mayo, chipotle and tomato.

Co-host of the night, Chef Ned Bell of Yew Restaurant. It's up to cooks and restaurants to make the choice to go sustainable.

Special guest David Suzuki gives a speech - "We are all fish".

Dr. Suzuki, someone I am in awe of - I didn't know what to say when I met him!

Me with the president and CEO of the Vancouver Aquarium, Dr. John Nightingale, Chef Ned Bell and Mashed Thoughts.

Seafood Day was definitely a hit, with all proceeds going towards Ocean Wise and SeaChoice programs. Learn more about the chefs that participated here. You can be Ocean Wise as well, by educating yourself on what seafood choices are sustainable and which restaurants are Ocean Wise partners. Another way to help is to sign this petition in support of National Sustainable Seafood Day.