Eat Local Fish Challenge
Celebrating local, sustainable seafood
By 2012, eating locally and seasonally had become a significant trend. Many Americans now know the names of the farms that grow their food, but even as we’re urged to eat more fish for its health benefits and its gustatory pleasures, few consumers can identify sustainable local species or the fishing operations that supply them.
The time was ripe for local fish. On September 25, 2012, we hosted our first-ever Eat Local (Fish) Challenge, which was held simultaneously in all 32 states in which we operate. The event was an outgrowth of the Eat Local Challenge, which we launched in 2005 as a fun way to highlight locally harvested, seasonal flavors through a meal made entirely of locally grown ingredients. For the Eat Local (Fish) Challenge, local seafood — sustainably caught or farmed within 500 miles by a Fish to Fork partner — had to be one of those ingredients. In addition to the special all-local meal, our teams offered educational information about sustainable seafood, the particular seafood item being served, Five Reasons to Eat Local Fish, and a take-home recipe for a regional fish dish.
Our chefs found, cooked, and served more than 50 different species of regional seafood, from amberjack to yellowtail, and relished the new twist on an old challenge. Read about how they got hooked on local fish in Bravo, our company magazine, or check out the news coverage in the Boston Globe, Forbes.com, and Sustainable Business Oregon.