5. Rob Ruiz, chef for The Land and Water Company, Carlsbad, California
An unlikely chef to find crafting sustainable sushi, Rob Ruiz, is a prodigy in the world of sustainable seafood. He first honed his craft in Hawaii with Alan Wong, and then under Japanese Sushi master Etsuji Umezu, he established The Land and Water Company in 2014, serving traditional and inventive sushi and sashimi in the small beach city of Carlsbad, California. Since then, he has also opened a sushi hand roll market using only fish caught by local fishers.
From this remote outpost, however, Ruiz's voice has travelled far, promoting his mission to “heal the planet,” one fish at a time. Working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and other leading international organizations, he has been pivotal in the development and promotion of initiatives, such as tracking codes, aimed at making the seafood industry more reputable and sustainable.
Ruiz was one of only 12 honorees to receive the international Ocean Award from the Blue Marine Foundation and Boat International, for his sustainable practices. Based in London, the mission of the foundation is to protect just 10 percent of the world’s oceans by 2020.
