2010 Celebrity Chef Seafood Ambassadors
John Ash
Cookbook author/culinary educator
Fetzer Vineyards
Hopland, California
A perennial favorite at Cooking for Solutions John is a prime advocate for sustainable food and wine and an internationally recognized chef, educator and author. He is credited as the creator of Wine Country Cuisine; award-winning author of three cookbooks, including From the Earth to the Table: John Ash’s Wine Country Cuisine and John Ash Cooking One-on-One: Private Lessons in Simple Contemporary Food from a Master Teacher.
www.chefjohnash.com
François Blais
Panache Restaurant
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
François has quickly gained a reputation for culinary excellence and innovation, thanks to his creative and bold approach to reviving the Quebec region’s traditional dishes. Trained in a host of celebrated restaurants, he brings a light touch favored by contemporary tastes to his preparations of Quebecoiscuisine.
www.saint-antoine.com
Joanne Chang
Myers + Chang,
Flour Bakery + Café
Boston, Massachusetts
A Harvard honors graduate in mathematics and economics, Joanne left management consulting to become a pastry chef. She showcases her French and American training at the acclaimed Flour Bakery + Café and Myers + Chang, where the focus is on delectable, fresh-baked goods and reliance on local ingredients. The cafes offer innovative takes on classic dishes, or new dishes that stay true to the flavors of the region.
www.flourbakery.com
www.myersandchang.com
Sam Choy
Sam Choy’s Breakfast, Lunch & Crab, and Big Aloha Brewery,
Honolulu, Hawaii
Sam is an award-winning restaurateur, best-selling cookbook author and TV host who has been dubbed Hawaii’s culinary ambassador. Through his restaurants and other vehicles, he educates people the world over about the wonderful, diverse cultures and flavors reflected in Hawaiian cuisine.
www.samchoy.com
Jesse Ziff Cool
Cool Eatz Restaurant and Catering/Flea Street Café
Menlo Park, California
A celebrated Bay Area restaurateur and environmental pioneer, Jesse has been dedicated to sustainable and organic local agriculture and cuisine for more than 33 years. She advocates for local producers nationally and internationally. Jesse is the creative force behind five restaurants and seven cookbooks, and is a frequent contributor to leading food publications.
www.cooleatz.com
John Critchley
Area 31 Restaurant
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants
Miami, Florida
John is executive chef of the Kimpton Hotel restaurant whose menu honors an ecologically sustainable western Atlantic fishing region. He applies his passion for the sea in crafting an eclectic menu that emphasizes fresh fish and creative but simple techniques. Area 31 was honored by Esquire magazine as one of the nation's best new restaurants of 2009.
www.area31restaurant.com
Jim Dodge
Bon Appétit Management Co.
Palo Alto, California
A much-honored chef in the United States and Asia, Jim Dodge is a key player in the creation and success of Cooking for Solutions and is considered to be one of the leading influences on contemporary American cuisine. He is the author of the Beard Award-winning cookbook, The American Baker and a contributing editor to Joy of Cooking.
www.bamco.com
Mark Dommen
One Market Restaurant/
Lark Creek Restaurant Group
San Francisco, California
Mark is recognized as a rising star among U.S. chefs. He creates sophisticated American fare and menus shaped by fresh-from-the-farm ingredients prepared in unique, delicious and artistic ways.
www.onemarket.com
Anthony Fusco
formerly of Harbour
New York, New York
A Brooklyn native, Anthony received his culinary training under chefs including Tom Colicchio, Bobby Flay and Guy Savoy. He applies creativity and a passion for local ingredients to sustainable seafood and highly composed dishes, creating a new luxury cuisine.
www.harbournyc.com
Kevin Gillespie
Woodfire Grill
Atlanta, Georgia
An Atlanta native, Kevin has a passionate commitment to incorporating fresh, organic and sustainable ingredients in all of his dishes. Celebrated nationally as a top contender on Bravo’s Emmy- and James Beard Award-winning "Top Chef" series, Kevin is active in Slow Food Atlanta, the Southern Food Ways Alliance, Chefs Collaborative and the Society for the Preservation of Traditional Southern Barbecue.
www.woodfiregrill.com
Brandon Hill
Bamboo Sushi
Portland, Oregon
Presented by the Marine Stewardship Council
Brandon is executive chef of the world’s first certified sustainable sushi restaurant. Building on culinary training in the Northwest, his creativity, focus and passion have been instrumental in Bamboo Sushi’s quick rise to critical acclaim. Brandon scours the globe sourcing sustainable seafood and pushes the culinary boundaries of Japanese tradition, creating a new style that’s both delicious and responsible to the planet.
www.bamboosushipdx.com
Gerald Hirigoyen
Piperade, Bocadillos
San Francisco, California
Gerald is a much-honored founding chef of acclaimed bistros and restaurants that incorporate California’s culinary sensibility and fresh ingredients into dishes that echo the spirit of the Bay Area and his French-Basque roots. He is the author of Bistro, the award-winning The Basque Kitchen and Pintxos: Small Plates in the Basque Tradition.
www.piperade.com
www.bocasf.com
Rick Moonen
Rick Moonen’s rm seafood at Mandalay Bay
Las Vegas, Nevada
An honored chef, seafood specialist and a leading national advocate for the sustainable seafood movement, Rick brings passion and innovation to his dishes. Often a featured chef at Cooking for Solutions as well as on national television, he is passionate about educating peers and public about the dangers of overfishing and the importance of ocean conservation. Author of the acclaimed cookbook, Fish Without a Doubt, he regularly testifies on behalf of environmental and sustainable policy issues in Washington, DC.
www.rickmoonen.com
Brandon McGlamery
Luma on Park
Winter Park, Florida
Brandon is a Florida native who grew up on the ocean. He worked in noted kitchens at Stars, Chez Panisse, French Laundry, Fifth Floor and Delfina. He also worked overseas with Guy Savoy and Gordon Ramsay. Brandon is recognized nationally for his dedication to serving sustainable seafood.
www.lumaonpark.com
Tim McKee
Sea Change/
Solera/La Belle Vie
Minneapolis, Minnesota
A Beard Award-winner and one of the most recognized and respected chefs in the Midwest, Tim has earned multiple four-star reviews for his Twin Cities restaurants, as well as the praise of national food critics. His dishes highlight intense flavors in ways that compel diners to savor each taste in turn. Sea Change features sustainable wild-caught and farmed seafood.
www.seachangempls.com
Bruce Sherman
North Pond
Chicago, Illinois
A Chicago native, Bruce draws on his international travels and culinary experiences—from France to India—to craft a contemporary French-American menu featuring innovative, seasonal cuisine. He has been honored by Food & Wine magazine as one of America’s best new chefs and by Share Our Strength as Chicago’s most sustainable chef. Bruce serves as national chair of Chefs Collaborative.
www.northpond
restaurant.com
Jason Wilson
Crush
Seattle, Washington
Recognized by Food & Wine magazine as one of America’s best new chefs, Jason creates innovative dining experiences that showcase the finest fresh, local, organic and sustainable ingredients from Northwest and American farmers, producers and fishermen. He trained at influential kitchens and patisseries in California, Singapore and France.
www.chefjasonwilson.com
2010 Presenting Chefs
Bon Appétit Management Company at the Monterey Bay Aquarium
A Central Coast native and former Aquarium guide, David has built a culinary career using seasonal, local and sustainable ingredients. Before returning to the Aquarium as Executive Chef, he served with Bon Appétit Management Company at Santa Clara University and the University of the Pacific.
www.bamco.com
TusCA at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa and Pacific’s Edge at Highlands Inn
Monterey and Carmel, California
The top graduate in his class at the Culinary Institute of America, Mark was chef at resort properties in Colorado before coming to the Highlands Inn, where his creative vision shaped the much-honored Pacific’s Edge. He helped plan and execute the Masters of Food & Wine celebrations.
www.highlandsinn.hyatt.com
Montrio Bistro
Monterey, California
Tony trained at Michelin-acclaimed restaurants in his native England before coming to the Monterey Peninsula where he has created signature dishes for the Montrio Bistro as its executive chef. He is dedicated to organic and sustainable ingredients in preparing new and inventive dishes. Tony generously contributes his talents to charitable and community events benefitting children's causes.
www.montrio.com
Art of Food
Carmel, California
Wendy is a chef/artist known for her creative style with food, presentation and table décor—she's often described as an artist whose medium is food. Wendy has been executive chef at prestigious world-class resorts and currently hosts the "Art of Food" television series.
www.lincolncourt.com
The Lodge at Pebble Beach
A lifelong love of cooking began when Benjamin helped his grandmother prepare traditional Italian family recipes. At Pebble Beach, he has served as chef at Club XIX, the exclusive Beach and Tennis Club and subsequently at The Lodge at Pebble Beach.
www.pebblebeach.com
Berkeley, California
For more than 35 years, Chez Panisse has helped redefine the American diet, creating menus based on three simple principles; freshness, local ingredients and seasonality. Led by co-founder Alice Waters, it has inspired others and treated generations to the immediacy and excitement of vegetables just out of the garden, fruit right off the branch, and fish straight out of the sea.
www.chezpanisse.com
Aqua Terra
Pebble Beach, California
Dory utilizes the freshest local ingredients and sustainable seafood to create menus that feature produce supporting local farmers and artisans. A native of Canada, he has always drawn inspiration from local ingredients and his own fishing experiences. Dory trained in leading kitchens in the Northwest and Los Angeles before coming to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Ventana Inn & Spa as executive chef prior to starting his own company, Aqua Terra.
www.aquaterraculinary.com
Bon Appétit Management Company/Public House
San Francisco, California
A veteran of the Colonial and Fog City Diner, Thom incorporates local and mostly organic produce and naturally raised fish and livestock into a menu filled with healthy, simple and flavorful dishes. A lifelong runner, and more recently a cyclist, he sees a clear link between food and health.
www.publichousesf.com
The Portola Hotel and Spa
Monterey, California
Trained at notable California restaurants from Sonoma to the Monterey Peninsula, including The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Jason develops menus for restaurants and catering operations at the Portola Hotel and Spa, with the freedom to shape a culinary program at the highest level.
www.portolahotel.com
Grasing's and
Carmel Chop House
Carmel, California
Kurt trained at great restaurants in the Bay Area, London, New York and Boston. His Carmel restaurants have won regional and national honors for a contemporary menu that offers the finest coastal cuisine paired with an award-winning wine list.
www.grasings.com
Ventana Inn & Spa
Big Sur, California
Estevan brings his passion for local, seasonal ingredients to the Ventana Inn & Spa. An honors graduate from the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, Estevan held positions at The Huntington Museum, Library and Botanical Gardens (Pasadena, CA.) and the Jonathan Beach Club (Santa Monica, CA.) before relocating to the Monterey Peninsula in 2005 to work at the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Portola Restaurant.
www.ventanainn.com
Culinary Center of Monterey, California
Executive chef and founder of the Culinary Center of Monterey, Mary is an accomplished food stylist and has created a venue that hosts events, classes and a successful vocational training program. Her nonprofit "Growing Our Future" classes provide a free healthy-eating program for families.
www.culinarycenterof
monterey.com
Silverado Resort and Spa
Napa, California
Peter has a deep commitment to local, artisanal and sustainable cuisine—and to sharing the stories behind the food. He's active with Chefs Collaborative, which is devoted to promoting sustainable cuisines in partnership with local farmers, producers and fishermen.
www.silveradoresort.com
InterContinental The Clement Monterey
Building a culinary program based on organic ingredients and sustainable seafood, Jerry combines rustic elegance with refined flavors. His stellar culinary pedigree includes his role as executive chef for the first Pebble Beach Food & Wine event.
www.ichotelsgroup.com
Bernardus Lodge
Carmel Valley, California
Cal is creator of an innovative California country cuisine that draws on his training in the European tradition of culinary artistry. He has served in the kitchens of the world’s most renowned chefs, including Alain Ducasse of the three-star Michelin restaurant Louis XV in Monaco; Pierre Gagnaire; Masa Kobayashi and Jean-Louis Palladin.
www.bernardus.com
The Fish Hopper
Monterey, California
A native of Egypt and resident of Switzerland, Mo found his passion in the kitchen. He trained at several restaurants before becoming executive chef at the Fish Hopper on Cannery Row, where he features sustainable seafood and supports the sustainable seafood movement.
www.fishhopper.com
San Francisco, California
The first sustainable sushi restaurant in North America showcases the beauty and delicacy of Japanese cuisine while respecting the sanctity and fragility of the ocean environment.
www.tatakisushibar.com
Michael’s Catering/Wild Thyme Delicatessen
Marina, California
Terry brings extensive training and experience, as well as a unique and innovative flair to his creations. His passion for fine food began in the family’s hotel and restaurant business in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and was honed at some of the nation’s most distinguished restaurants and hotels. Terry served as executive chef of Monterey’s Sardine Factory before launching his own catering business.
www.michaels-catering.com
www.wildthymedeli.com
The Inn at Spanish Bay
Pebble Beach, California
A Monterey Peninsula native with a strong culinary background, Rod has worked at many local establishments and draws on traditions from Sicilian style cuisine to his favorite Euro-Asian or California Bistro dishes. Longtime executive chef at The Inn at Spanish Bay, Rod plays a key role in major culinary activities, including the inaugural Pebble Beach Food & Wine celebration.
www.pebblebeach.com
Monterey Plaza
Hotel and Spa
An ardent proponent of sustainability, James has been actively involved with the Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program from the beginning. Fresh, local, quality ingredients define the innovative and contemporary cuisine he’s created for the hotel’s award-winning restaurants.
www.montereyplaza
hotel.com
Passionfish
Pacific Grove, California
Passionfish, the first officially "green" restaurant in Monterey County, offers a superlative menu featuring fresh and sustainable seafood, slow-cooked meats and organic greens. Ted and Cindy are vocal advocates for the sustainable seafood movement, and for sustainability in all facets of their operations.
www.passionfish.net
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