blog post

Top chefs endorse Fish2fork's campaign at Madrid Launch

by Charles Clover

 

December 01 2010 Charles Clover

 

Andrés Madrigal, whose Madrigal restaurant, Bistró Madrigal, serves Mediterrenean and Provencal cuisine, said: “When I was 6 years old my grandfather was a fishmonger and fisherman and something he said to me was we don’t have to fear the sea, we need to respect the sea.  My grandfather knew everything there was to know about fish, about where the octopus was from, but he couldn’t swim.  I was amazed by that.  We went to his house in Asturias and he said.  The Galicians have gone though and taken all the fish. Sometimes they would hold up a little fish and say this is all the Galicians have left behind.  Years later I now understand what he was talking about because they area we used to fish is now a desert.  The dragnets have destroyed everything. When I heard about Fish2ork, I was very interested but knew I would be taking a risk.  It would be difficult.  There would be decisions I’d have to make but I realised it was something I had been thinking about for a long time. For me it is an issue about respecting not fearing the sea.”

    _{Andres Madregal and Samantha Vallejo-Nájera}

Sergi Arola, whose Madrid restaurant is the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Spain so far to win a blue fish, said: “I’d like to thank Fish2fork for the evaluation because it helps us to do what we do better.  It’s a positive approach.  It’s not to penalise people who eat fish but to look ahead to the future. The sea runs through my veins. My father was a fisherman, I’m from Barcelona.  I like to dive. I have seen these huge dragnets myself. The documentary, The End of the Line, changed my life.  Also watch the one about sharks to see how they cut off their fins.  It’s the worst possible cruelty you can do to an animal.  We have established criteria so we select well and we take careful decisions.  I only ever have two fish on the menu and they have to be sustainable and seasonal.  We need to give value to sustainable fishing."

 

    _{Sergi Arola proudly showing his fish2fork window sticker}

Samantha Vellejo Najera, who runs the society catering firm, Samantha Catering, said: “I feel like a pioneer.  I recommend the film we need to learn and make decisions.  It is a learning curve for all of us.”

    _{Samantha Vallejo-Nájera}

Dario Barrio, the base-jumping chef who runs the Madrid restaurant, DASSA BASSA, said: “In 2007 I was serving red tuna on my menu and I thought it was really cool.  After the Prestige disaster I visited several fishing projects and my view changed.  I like and enjoy fish and my eyes are now opened.  I want my sons and daughters to enjoy fish like that [bluefin tuna] in the future so we can’t eat it now. You can’t eat the goose that lays the golden egg.  People wouldn’t eat a panda. It is that sort of attitude we need to adopt when it comes to fish.”

    _{Dario Barrio}

Pepe Pintos, who runs the eponymous restaurant in Palma, Mallorca, which won the highest rating from Fish2fork, said: “I want to thank Fish2fork for teaching me.  Since the film I have been able to change our restaurant policy because there were only two options to continue as we were or to change.  We have taken red tuna off the menu.  I have made links with the local fishing co-operatives and they are changing the species I am being offered.  Also I am now putting information for customers on the menu.  My biggest worry is what we are going to do for our children. Information is power.  It’s black or white – or, as somebody just said, or red or blue.”

        

    _{Above, Pepe Pintos owner and chef of the highest scoring restaurant}

 

« Return to the blog index

 

1 responses to "Top chefs endorse Fish2fork's campaign at Madrid Launch"

Andrew Cole says:

Charles, may I just say that I really loved your book, the film was breathtaking, and also I really enjoy this website. This comment is relatively unrelated to the article at hand. I simply wanted to suggest the addition of a 'Locate a Restaurant Near You' Feature. Having the ability to search by keyword is fantastic, but potentially a postal code or city based search (which obviously can be roughly approximated by keyword search) would be quite beneficial and potentially more practical for someone looking for a place to eat. Being a fisheries biologist I just wanted to both thank you and commend you for the effort you have put forth into furthering the public's awareness of the fisheries sustainability problems that the world faces. ~Andrew J. Cole