In a city where the clock revolves around meal times, the discussion in New Orleans on Friday was not about flavors but about what seafood species to serve. The National Fisheries Institute convened a panel of local chefs to discuss sustainable seafood at its annual meeting at the Ritz Carlton, including Chef Brian Landry of Galatoire’s; Chef Susan Spicer of Bayona; and Greg Reggio, founder and partner at Tastebuds, which operates 14 Zea restaurants in Louisiana and Alabama.
It was evident that while the chefs on the panel are concerned about sustainable seafood stocks, they are, for the most part, relying on their purveyors to keep informed about the sustainability of the species they purchase.
When asked by panel moderator Ewell Smith, executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board, to define sustainability and discuss where the chefs source their sustainable seafood information, Spicer likened sustainable purchasing to having a long-range vision.
“Purchasing isn’t just purchasing anymore. [Chefs] have a profound affect on what goes down in the world of food by information we pass onto our customers and our purchasing dollars,” said Spicer. “You try to get a balanced view, but [information from different sources] can be confusing.”
Galatoire’s, a fourth-generation family-owned and operated restaurant on busy Bourbon Street, has vendor relationships that have been in place for a long, long time. Landry talks with those vendors, including P&J Oysters and The Shrimp Lady, every day.
Reggio said sourcing sustainable seafood comes down to trust in your vendor and ensuring they’re not changing product labels.
“A lot of purveyors can be your own worst enemy,” he said.
Spicer and Reggio said their customers are more concerned whether the seafood is fresh and local than if it is sustainable, while Landry said quality, price and sustainability go hand-in-hand for Galatoire’s customers.
When asked about marketing species by Joel Knox of Inland Seafood in Atlanta, Zea’s Reggio said state legislation requiring truthful menu labeling will come in the future.
“Some of the pressures we’ve had have caused [customers] to widen their horizons,” said Reggio.
