#sustainableseafoodweek

[mitchellwick-blog]

How do you #SeatheFuture? 🐟 Growing up by the ocean, it has always been a huge part of my life. I want to help raise awareness about the importance of sustainable seafood, and how you too can play your part for our future generations! Support this cause by finding the blue & green MSC & ASC eco-labels at your local Australian supermarket. 😊🙏🏻 #sustainableseafoodweek #raiseawareness (at Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu7Zrm4A5jp/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=bkn5rv6v1x7w

[thehungrykat1]

Marriott Manila Launches Philippines Sustainable Seafood Week 2018

For the third straight year, Marriott Hotel Manila, along with other prominent hotels and restaurants in the Philippines, have partnered together to make sure that we continue taking care of our seas by holding the Philippines Sustainable Seafood Week 2018. This time, it will not be just a week-long gathering of top chefs, suppliers, and hotels to educate everyone about the need to reverse our declining ocean harvest, but it will be stretching more than two weeks as more establishments continue to join this worthwhile activity.

The opening of Philippine Sustainable Seafood Week 2018 was held last February 26, 2018 at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Resorts World Manila. This also serves as a launching point for many other activities in the coming days including presentations, chef master classes, cooking competitions, technical workshops, a photo exhibit, and more. Some of the participants were there that night to give a little preview of what they will be serving at their respective establishments to promote sustainable seafood in the Philippines.

Leading the launch was Chef Meik Brammer (seated second from right), Executive Chef of Marriott Manila who had made the five-star hotel one of the best premium dining spots in the country. Another main proponent of the Philippine Sustainable Seafood Week is Christian Schmidradner (standing), General Manager of seafood company Meliomar which engages with community-based coastal fisheries in various locations around the Philippines. These communities are taught how to avoid overfishing, illegal fishing and destructive fishing methods.

On display were just some of the sustainable seafood items that hotels and restaurants will be highlighting during the coming weeks. They all show their solidarity and commitment to improve the health of the oceans by pursuing responsible business practice in sourcing seafood products from sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. 

Participating hotels, restaurants, and schools include some of the biggest names in the industry like Shangri-La Hotels, Accor Group of Hotels, New World Manila Bay, Conrad Manila, Hyatt COD, CCA, Enderun and many more. They will be having their own activities during Sustainable Seafood Week 2018 so watch out for their respective announcements and schedules.

Here is a preview of what to expect from these establishments during Philippine Sustainable Seafood Week 2018. AG New World Manila Bay had one of the more popular booths during the launch, especially with their endless servings of fresh Crystal Bay oysters which are brackish-water species that are self-sustaining and do not need additional feeds.

They also presented a Japanese-style oyster if you want them a bit seasoned. But the favorite item there was the Aburi Scallops which were prepared and torched on the spot. 

The Discovery Leisure Company, composed of the some of my favorite hotels around the country like Discovery Shores Boracay, Discovery Country Suites, and Discovery Primea, featured a huge Boodle Feast with a medley of delicious seafood. This pile of mouthwatering seafood included Seared Scallops, Kinilaw na Maya Maya, Lobster Relleno, Grilled Tuna, Steamed Barramundi in Banana Leaves, and Sautéed Selva Prawns. This is an entire meal in itself but there were more juicy and sumptuous seafood to explore.

The entire ACCOR group of hotels came in full force with Sofitel Philippines presenting its Emperor’s Fish Ceviche. Emperor fish have moderate resilience to fishing pressure with relatively fast growth and maturation, so they are part of the sustainable seafood program in the country.

The newest member of the Accor group was also present at the event. Joy-Nostalg Hotel and Suites, formerly known as Oakwood Premier, had their Shrimp with Potato and the Pan Seared Cod with Mango Salsa.

Most of the participating hotels use Selva Shrimp which has a “Best Choice” rating for sustainability because these are naturally raised in mangrove forests in small farming communities in Southeast Asia. These do not need any feeds or fertilizers as the mangrove provides the natural habitat and ecosystem for the shrimp. This unique production system combines the preservation of the mangrove forest together with low-impact shrimp farming. 

Other members of the Accor Group including Raffles & Fairmont, Novotel, and Mercure also higlighted their own sustainable seafood creations like the Aguachile de Camaron in Ube Cone, Seafood Biryani, and more.

Shangri-La at the Fort brought in Peruvian Chef Carlo Huerta Echegaray from their popular South American restaurant, Samba. 

He personally prepared his Tamale de Camaron, with huge pieces of juicy prawns cooked a la minute for all the guests. Another of his specialties is the Ceviche de Atun which I got to try last time during Samba’s special 5-Course Christmas Menu.

Makati Shangri-La has an interesting item called Crispy Balls with Selva Black Tiger Prawns. Guests should eat the crispy balls in one bite and then drink the tomato-based broth inside the glass.

Aside from the top five-star hotels in the city, a few major restaurants will also participate in the Philippines Sustainable Seafood Week 2018. Grind Bistro came out with their Smoked Seafood Chowder and a Scallops Ceviche.

Center for Culinary Arts (CCA) showed why they are one of the top culinary schools in the country with their beautifully-plated Pan Seared Barramundi Fillet with Pumpkin Ginger Puree and Edamame. The barramundi fillet was so tender and bursting with flavors.

Of course, host Marriott Manila will not be left behind in featuring their own sustainable seafood selections. Last year, an entire buffet table filled with delicacies was slowly lowered from the ceiling of the Marriott Grand Ballroom to the delight of the crowd. This time, they brought an actual golf cart inside the ballroom to serve as an a la minute cooking spot for their delicious Fish Tacos.

There was also plenty of salmon for everyone including Smoked Salmon and the Soy Mirin-Marinated Salmon Salad.

A warm and hearty Seafood Chowder was also offered by Marriott Manila presented in these cute bread bowls. Other organizations and NGOs were also in attendance to help educate and bring more awareness to the delicate task of saving our oceans.

Watch out for all the exciting activities and special dishes that will be coming out during Sustainable Seafood Week 2018 from February 26 to March 15. Let’s all be more conscious and aware about where the seafood we see on our plates are sourced. Let’s all support this enivormentally-friendly initiative so that we can continue to enjoy these wonderful seafood creations.

Sustainable Seafood Week 2018

February 26 - March 15, 2018

www.facebook.com/pg/sustainableseafoodweekph

[heliosfinance]

Here at the @NewWorldMakati leg of #SustainableSeafoodWeek. On the spotlight--oysters! @http://bworldphpic.twitter.com/r3Beknkn0U

Here at the @NewWorldMakati leg of #SustainableSeafoodWeek. On the spotlight--oysters! @bworldph http://pic.twitter.com/r3Beknkn0U

Here at the @NewWorldMakati leg of #SustainableSeafoodWeek. On the spotlight--oysters! @http://bworldphpic.twitter.com/r3Beknkn0U published first on http://ift.tt/2ljLF4B

[thehungrykat1]

Sofitel & AccorHotels Join Philippines Sustainable Seafood Week

The treasures of the sea are a blessing that we should all protect. While it seems that the fish and seafood we catch from the seas are unlimited, the truth is that we have been experiencing declining seafood catch in the past decades because of irresponsible fishing practices. The Philippines Sustainable Seafood Week aims to educate and promote sustainable seafood and business practices to keep our oceans healthy and enrich our seafood catch for the next generations.

Sofitel Philippine Plaza and AccorHotels Philippines held a special media presentation last February 23, 2017 at the picturesque Sofitel sunset garden in support of Philippines Sustainable Seafood Week which happened from February 20 to 26, 2017. This is just one of the many activities highlighted by the more than 60 participating hotels, schools and restaurants around Manila during the busy week. Sofitel Philippine Plaza serves as a perfect venue to feature the pride of our seas, especially with the Manila Bay sunset serving as a golden backdrop for these bountiful seafood delights.

Sofitel Philippine Plaza General Manager and AccorHotels Area General Manager Adam Laker opened the media presentation for Sustainable Seafood Week together with some special guests and participants. The Hungry Kat also attended the exclusive media preview for Sustainable Seafood Week at the Grand Ballroom of Marriott Manila last January (read about it here) and the official Signing Ceremony at Hyatt City of Dreams Manila last February 20, 2017 so it was great to see all these five-star hotels joining hands for this noble quest to save our seas.

The gala dinner was then opened featuring sumptuous sustainable seafood dishes and cuisine which are served at the different restaurants of the participating AccorHotels brands in the country. AccorHotels is a world-leading travel & lifestyle group with over 4,000 hotels and residences around the world. They include notable properties in the Philippines such as Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Novotel Manila Araneta Center, Mercure Manila Ortigas and recent acquisitions which include my favorite hotel in Manila, Raffles and Fairmont Makati,

Chef Hiromi Yonekawa, Japanese Master Chef for Sofitel’s all-day dining cafe, Spiral, took care of the Sushi and Sashimi Station which features such a delectable array of Japanese seafood specialties. One of these was this torched Spicy Tuna Maki topped with mayonnaise. Sofitel and all the participating hotels for Sustainable Seafood Week have pledged to source their seafood requirements from local and responsible non-endangered fisheries with a commitment to sustainable fishing practices. This is also In line with their Planet 21 programme of sustainable commitments to significantly reduce their environmental footprint by 2020.

Another simple but amazing item was this Smoked Mahi Mahi Nigiri Sushi smoked first inside this glass bowl before being served. This was one of the favorite sushi items on display at the buffet area. Other selections included Seared Skip Jack Tuna Sushi, Yellow Fin Tuna Sushi, and Tataki Squid with Spicy Cod Roe Sushi. Sofitel is committed to increasing the percentage of its sustainable sources for its seafood items to 50% in the next three years.

As the sun slowly began to fade from the horizon, guests were treated to even more seafood delights from Sofitel Philippine Plaza. This gigantic tuna, responsibly harvested from the local waters of Mindanao, was presented as a magnificent specimen for the Sustainable Seafood Week. The very fresh and tender tuna sashimi was just as good as any imported fish, especially in the hands of a skilled Japanese chef.

There were several other sashimi available featuring different local fish varieties for everyone to try and enjoy.

It was not just about sushi and sashimi because the other stations had their own specialties on the buffet table. The appetizer section had the Le Bar Asian Salad, Tuna Nicoise Salad, and Black Prawns Caesar Salad all from Spiral.

Mercure is one of the mid-range brands under AccorHotels and they recently opened their first property in the country, Mercure Manila Ortigas. They showed off two of their highlighted dishes - the Asian Tuna Taco and the Black Tiger Prawn Salad Roll. Both offered that sudden burst of flavor when you popped them in your mouth.

I recently had my first visit at Novotel Manila in Araneta Center and they also had a beautiful setup for Sustainable Seafood Week. Executive Chef Michael Schauss together with Banquet Chef Edgar Limoico prepared this amazing Octopus Confit topped with adobo caviar.

The octopus itself was good, but it was the adobo caviar which really made an impression. Another item they served was the Sous Vide Trevally in Polenta Cake.

One of my favorite chefs in the city also made an appearance at Sofitel Philippine Plaza that afternoon. French Master Chef Nicolas Cegretin from Raffles and Fairmont Makati currently heads the kitchen at the hotel’s newest French brasserie, Mirèio. I actually celebrated my last birthday there during their opening week (read about it here) and I continue to be a big fan of this restaurant.

Chef Nicolas gave the guests a live cooking demonstration for his Sauteed Calamari with sweet garlic cream and chorizo oil. It only took about a minute to cook the squid and this is a simple dish that anyone can prepare. The event’s host Rovilson Fernandez was the first to try the newly-cooked dish and he loved it.

Raffles Makati and Fairmont Makati have consistently supported sustainable seafood fishing practices in all their hotel dining outlets including Spectrum, their all-day dining cafe, and Mirèio, the upscale French brasserie serving Provencal cuisine.

Guests were also treated to a colorful selection of fruits and desserts to cap off the sunset cocktails, courtesy of Sofitel Philippine Plaza. Cupcakes, mousse, macarons and a host of other sweet endings were laid out for everyone including the colorful Crepe Samurai.

The most surprising dessert was actually the Ube Coconut Truffle from Spiral with its luscious chocolate filling that explodes in your mouth after you bite it. 

There were also overflowing beverages including mocktails plus red and white wine to make the event even more special. 

The Philippines Sustainable Seafood Week is a great opportunity to educate our local fishermen as well as government agencies on how to keep our marine life and fishing strategies on a sustainable path. All the executive chefs and general managers of Manila’s top hotels and restaurants have come together to promote this worthy endeavor, and hopefully it will continue being a success in the years to come.

[thehungrykat1]

Philippines Holds Sustainable Seafood Week on February 20 to 26, 2017

We all love to eat seafood. The first section that I attack at buffets is usually the tempura station followed by the sashimi area. Let’s not forget about the crabs, lobsters, oysters, and my favorite sweet and sour lapu-lapu. But do you know that the world’s seafood supply is actually quietly diminishing? When we eat seafood, do we even stop to think about where and how the seafood on our plate was caught and sourced? Marriott Hotel, along with other prominent hotels and restaurants in Manila, have partnered together to make sure that we do not further this decline by holding the second Philippines Sustainable Seafood Week from February 20 to 26, 2017.

The Sustainable Seafood Initiative is growing with even more participants joining this year’s activities. The media launch was held last January 16 at the spectacular Marriott Grand Ballroom in Resorts World Manila. Different competitor brands will one again show their solidarity and commitment to improve the health of the oceans by pursuing responsible business practice in sourcing seafood products from sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. The sustainable seafood week will also serve as a launching point for many other activities like educational seminars in culinary schools, government programs, workshops and many more. What’s remarkable about this initiative is that it brings together the executive chefs of all the major five-star hotels and restaurants in the city, so expect to see some of the most creative and appetizing culinary presentations all in one event.

A short presentation was led by Chef Meik Brammer, Executive Chef of Marriott Manila who had made the five-star hotel one of the best premium dining spots in the country, especially with their award-winning restaurants like Cru Steakhouse, Marriott Cafe, and the newly opened Man Ho Manila. This is the second year for the Philippines Sustainable Seafood Week and they aim to continue to educate fishermen and government officials about topics such as habitat and marine protection, pollution and waste management, water use and supply management, climate change, environmental and social impact modeling, plus land and sea use zoning. More importantly, they should be taught how to avoid overfishing, illegal fishing and destructive fishing methods.

Participating hotels and restaurants include some of the biggest names in the industry like Shangri-La Hotels, Raffles Makati, Conrad Manila, Marco Polo Hotels, Hyatt COD, CCA, Enderun and many more. The media launch was a gathering of the biggest names in the local culinary world which really makes this a landmark event. All the participating establishments will be featuring their own highlights and activities in their restaurants during Sustainable Seafood Week so watch out for their individual promotions and announcements.

The media launch is meant to be a small preview of what to expect from the participants during Sustainable Seafood Week. After a toast to open the dining area, Marriott Manila started dinner with a dramatic entrance of their buffet table which was slowly lowered from the roof! This is the kind of spectacle I have come to expect whenever I attend an event at the Marriott Grand Ballroom, especially from my first-hand experience during their Grand Opening in 2015.

Marriott Manila featured their Prawn Cocktail using Vannamei Shrimp which is known for its white color. These are native to the tropical marine habitats of the Eastern Pacific. The prawns were accompanied on the table with different variations of homemade dips, dressing and organic fresh mesclun. These fresh prawns simply pop in your mouth whenever you bite them.

The opening event and signing for Sustainable Seafood Week will be held on February 20, 2017 at the Hyatt City of Dreams Manila. Each participant will be promoting their own special seafood dishes and menus for the week as well as chef collaborations, workshops, cooking shows, beach cleaning events and others. Hyatt City of Dreams Manila Executive Chef Michael Leudtke was here to show off some of their highlighted seafood dishes.

The Tuna Niçoise is a dish from their sister hotel Grand Hyatt Singapore. This salad is prepared with tuna and seafood sourced responsibly. In the Philippines, tuna is caught by local fishermen in small-scale fishing communities using single-hook handlines which result in minimal impact to the habitats. This is their man source of livelihood and is the most responsible and sustainable means of fishing. I guess that means we should all eat more tuna!

They also presented their Sous Vide Mackerel with artichoke purée, pickled vegetables and beetroot chips. Mackerel is also another important source of livelihood for many Filipino fishermen living in coastal communities.

The Shangri-La Hotels group also came with their seafood creations. Makati-Shangri-La offered their Marinated Mackerel in saffron, orange juice with fennel seed plus smoked piquillo guacamole vinaigrette with local oyster, pink peppercorn, lime caviar and basil oil.

Edsa Shangri-La featured a couple of seafood dishes starting with the Ceviche using Mahi Mahi with chili, calamansi, and cafe lime leaves. They also used recycled paper for their holder to complete the sustainability cycle.

The Black Tiger Prawns in Sambal sauce was a popular item during the media launch. It uses Selva Shrimp which are naturally farmed in traditional mangrove-forest shrimp farming areas in Vietnam. These do not need any feeds or fertilizers as the mangrove provides the natural habitat and ecosystem for the shrimp. This unique production system combines the preservation of the mangrove forest together with low-impact shrimp farming. Another interesting dish was the Stuffed Baby Squid with Laing Black Rice Risotto. Squid are another species which are highly resilient to fishing pressure due to its fast growth and high reproduction potential.

I also found a very familiar sight at the event. Marco Polo Ortigas Manila is also supporting Sustainable Seafood Week and they have brought out their gigantic paella bowl.

Named as The Best Paella in Town, Marco Polo Manila’s signature paella comes loaded with prawns, mussels, squid and mahi-mahi which also has a high resilience to fishing pressure because of its early maturation and fast growth. I never get tired of eating this very flavorful paella and the name does speak for itself.

The Peninsula Manila’s booth was highlighted by two of my most favorite dishes that evening. The Curacha Toasties comes with spanner crab meat topped with salted egg and bacon. Spanner Crabs or curacha are usually found in the coasts of Zamboanga and are most vulnerable to fishing pressure when the minimum fishing size limits are not respected. The crabs should be allowed to grow and reproduce naturally so it is important that fishermen be educated properly and that they follow sustainable and correct procedures.

Another popular item was the Seared White Snapper with Textures of Aubergine. The fish was just so tender with just the right amount of saltiness to go with its perfectly seared texture.

New World Hotels and Resorts also had a few oysters up their sleeves. Fresh Crystal Bay Oysters were laid out on a bed of ice, and they are best eaten with a few drops of spicy vinegar. These oysters are brackish-water species which are self-sustaining as they feed on microorganisms in the water. The Calamansi Martini with Oyster was also a revelation as this is the first time I have seen a cocktail with an oyster inside. They also had the Oyster in Ponzu Sauce with Quail Egg shooters which you just pop in your mouth in one go.

The Discovery Leisure Company contributed their own creations which include the Texas Shrimp Straw Hats made with chippy wrappers and the Shrimp Rolls.

Culinary schools like Enderun Colleges are also part of Sustainable Seafood Week. The Black Rice with Cuttlefish has rice made with cuttlefish ink then garnished with chorizo, tomato confit and sprouts.

On February 22, Vask Modern Tapas & Gastronomic Cuisine will be kicking off a series of seminars to promote and educate participants for Sustainable Seafood Week at the Vask Gallery in Bonifacio Global City.

They presented their Rice Crackers with Crab and Seafood Mousse using purple rice sourced from Ifugao. I remember encountering purple-colored rice during my trip to Sagada trip and this is how their prepare their rice in the north. This was topped with black bean and jalapeno paste plus cilantro flowers. 

Another dish from Vask was the Arroz Caldo with Mahi Mahi, also using purple rice which makes this a one of a kind arroz caldo.

The Grind Bistro also came up with some very colorful and delectable dishes during the event. 

The Fresh Tuna Roll with Foie Gras Mousse was probably the best item for me. This tuna comes with a creamy foie gras mousse inside and is topped with mango, green apple and salmon roe. I enjoyed this so much that I kept coming back for more. Just as colorful was their Tuna Taco Salad.

Agos by Chef Tatung Sarthou at SM Mall of Asia brought out their fierce-looking Mahi Mahi with Tausug Black Curry which is actually made from burnt coconut. I ate so much during the entire event but I don’t feel guilty because it is all seafood. That’s one more excuse to support the activities and special menus that the participating hotels and restaurants will be launching during Sustainable Seafood Week.

Marriott Manila did not let everyone go home without desserts. This massive round structure with a fisherman figure on top is actually a giant chocolate cake! I am always amazed with the cake designs from Marriott and this one is no different. We all enjoyed devouring the cake including the overflowing beverages and wine that were provided in the venue.

Watch out for all the exciting activities and special dishes that will be coming out during Sustainable Seafood Week on February 20 to 26, 2017. Let’s all be more conscious and aware about how the seafood we see on our plates are sourced. Thank you Marriott Manila for hosting such a wonderful event!

Sustainable Seafood Week

February 20-26, 2017

www.facebook.com/pg/sustainableseafoodweekph