Chefs Collaborative Connects With The Sea In Seattle

Members Bring Sustainability Concerns to Educational Panels

Chefs Collaborative shares its expertise in sustainable cuisine at the fifth annual Seafood Summit, organized by Seafood Choices Alliance, on Sunday, January 29, to Tuesday, January 31, 2006, at the Seattle Waterfront Marriot in Seattle, Wash. With a focus on "Sustainability and the Future of Seafood," the summit brings together leaders from the seafood industry, restaurant business and conservation community for presentations, networking and in-depth discussions on the expanding marketplace for ocean-friendly seafood. Seminar topics concentrate on the global nature of sustainability and include brand development, organic labeling, seafood distribution and sustainable seafood trends.

"Encouraging greater sustainability in the seafood industry has always been a priority of Chefs Collaborative," says Executive Director Jennifer Hall. "The Seafood Summit is a critical opportunity for our members to share and gain knowledge among those who are making purchasing decisions and influencing the future of seafood."

Hall will moderate a panel presentation, "Beyond the White Table Cloth," on Monday, January 30, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. This panel steps outside the traditional "back and front of house" to highlight the importance of distributors, the next generation of cooks and restaurant managers, and larger scale foodservice operations as critical pieces of the sustainability solution. Panelists include Chefs Collaborative board member Bruce Sherman, executive chef and partner of Chicago's North Pond restaurant, Henry Lovejoy, president of EcoFish, Inc., based in Portsmouth, N.H. and Bill Holden of Legal Sea Foods, based in Boston, Mass.

Also on Monday, Chefs Collaborative National Chair Peter Hoffman contributes to a panel entitled "Small is Beautiful: Leveraging Lessons of Artisan Fisheries in Advancing Sustainable Practices" from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Hoffman joins Tim O'Shea and Dale Sims (CleanFish), Eric Hesse (Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen's Association), and Nick Joy (Loch Duart Salmon) to discuss the limitations of small-scale ventures and what strategies today's seafood industry can learn from small, artisan producers.

Enjoy the fruits of our success in a Seattle Seafood Dine Around on Monday, January 30, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Chefs Collaborative and Seafood Choices Alliance host this celebration of local member restaurants to recognize those who prioritize sustainable seafood choices on their menus. The participants include Andaluca, Brasserie Margaux, Dahlia Lounge, Earth & Ocean, Etta's Seafood, Flying Fish and Oceanaire.

The registration deadline for Seafood Summit is January 2, 2006, and the fee is $175. More information can be found at www.seafoodchoices.org. Chefs Collaborative representatives will be available for meetings and interviews at Seafood Summit; to schedule, contact Nancy Civetta at 617.577.8098 or nancy@civettacom.com.

About Chefs Collaborative
Chefs Collaborative is a national network of more than 1,000 members of the food community who promote sustainable cuisine by celebrating the joys of local, seasonal, and artisanal cooking. While celebrating the pleasures of food, Collaborative members recognize the impact of food on our lives, on the well-being of our communities, and on the integrity of the global environment. Founded in 1993, Chefs Collaborative is the only culinary organization that provides its members with tools for running economically healthy, sustainable food service businesses and making environmentally sound purchasing decisions.