Barton Seaver has reportedly left his post as chef at Hook, a Washington, D.C., restaurant focused on sustainable seafood.
According to the Washington Post, Seaver's lawyer and Hook's owner Jonathan Umbel are working out the details of Seaver's contract. In late June, just days after resigning, he was named a rising star by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington for his work at Hook.
Seaver told the Post that he had "the utmost respect for Hook, the work the staff has done and the future that Hook is going to have."
He said he has not decided what he will do next but may increase his involvement with D.C. Central Kitchen.
"It was great to have a stage to formulate a lot of these ideas about sustainability and drive the business" at Hook, he said. "But I really believe that sustainability is not about a few white-tablecloth chefs providing an example. It's about making it accessible to everyone."
At the International Boston Seafood Show in February, Seafood Choices Alliance of Silver Spring, Md., recognized Seaver as a pioneer of sustainable seafood, naming him one of six Seafood Champions. The annual award recognizes individuals and companies for leadership in promoting environmentally responsible seafood.
