Chefs and Owners Call to Stop Seafood Fraud

As chefs and restaurant owners, we are committed to serving seafood that protects our oceans, our wallets and our health. Yet as more seafood is imported into the Unites States, our fish follows an increasingly complex path from fishing vessel to plate, increasing the risk of fraud each step of the way and making it more difficult for us to make eco-friendly choices.

Despite growing concern about where our nation’s seafood comes from, chefs, restaurant owners and consumers are routinely given little or no information about the fish they purchase. We rely on our purveyors to supply us with high quality, safe, legal and honestly labeled seafood.

Unfortunately, the information that travels with each fish is often limited.

Recent studies have found that seafood may be mislabeled as often as 25 to 70 percent of the time for popular species like red snapper, wild salmon and Atlantic cod, disguising fish that are less desirable, cheaper or more readily available.

With about 1,700 different species of seafood from all over the world now available in the U.S., it is unrealistic to expect chefs and restaurant owners to be able to independently and accurately determine that the fish they are getting is actually the one they paid for. We should be able to tell our customers, without question, what they are eating as well as where, when and how it was caught.

We believe that robust traceability standards are needed for all fish sold in the U.S. – both domestic and imported. As food industry leaders, we call on the U.S. government to require that seafood is traceable in order to prevent seafood fraud and keep illegal fish out of the U.S. market.

The U.S. government has an opportunity to set standards that ensure consumers are not being cheated.

By tracing seafood from the fishing vessel to the dinner plate, we can have more confidence in the food we serve. With your help, we can continue to make decisions that not only please our customers, but also help protect our oceans.

Signers as of May 14, 2012:

Barton Seaver Ernest Arroyo Eric Barnachea National Geographic Sous and Executive Chef Fellow, Chef and Author Production Manager Santa Clara, CA For Cod and Country Middletown, CT Michael Barshis Allison Albriton John Ash Executive Chef Director of Operations Chef, Educator and University Club of Portland Northfield, MN James Beard Portland, OR Award Winning Author Joseph Alfieri Brendon Bashford General Manager Greg Atkinson Executive Chef Palo Alto, CA Chef Proprietor Fairmont Battery Wharf, Restaurant Marché Three Battery Wharf Richard Allaire Bainbridge Island, WA Boston, MA Tucker’s Bistro Newport, RI Sean Baker Joseph Batchelder Executive Chef Sous Chef Elissa Altman Gather Restaurant Mountain View, CA Founder and Author Berkeley, CA PoorMansFeast.com Fedele Bauccio Brittany Baldwin CEO Brian Anderson Portland Home Chef Bon Appetit Sous Chef Portland, OR Management Company San Jose, CA Palo Alto, CA Bob Bankert David Anderson Executive Chef Rick Bayless Executive Chef The Mooring Restaurant, Owner and Chef Cisco Systems and Sayer’s Wharf Frontera Grill Regional Fish Forager Newport, RI , IL Bon Appetit Management Company Phil Bannatyne Wilo Benet San Jose, CA Owner Pikayo Restaurant Cambridge Brewing San Juan, Puerto Rico Josh Anglin Company Cambridge, MA Caroline Bennett Santa Fe, NM Moshi Moshi Dan Barber London, England David Apthorpe Executive Chef and General Manager Co-Owner Linda Bish Cleveland, OH Blue Hill Restaurant Sous Chef New York, NY Grove City, PA Cathal Armstrong Executive Chef Jeremy Barlow Jeff Black Restaurant Eve, Chef and Owner President Eat Good Food Group Tayst Restaurant, Sloco, Celebrity Chef Tour Alexandria, VA Local Kitchen Catering Dinner Series Author of Chefs Can Save the World Nashville, TN

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Joel Blice Arlene Burnham Christian Chemin Director of Operations Retail Manager Executive Chef St. Mary’s City, MD Caldwell, IL Walla Walla, WA

Brian Boitano Tyler Burnley Ken Cheung Host Chef and Co-Owner Chef “What Would Brian Thames Street Kitchen Santa Clara, CA Boitano Make?” Newport, RI Michael Cimarusti Matthew Caldwell Chef and Owner Anthony Bombaci General Manager Providence Executive Chef Caldwell, IL , CA Nana Restaurant Dallas, TX Carlos Canada Ryan Clark Executive Chef Executive Chef Daniel Bortnick Flea Street Café Lodge on the Desert Executive Chef Menlo Park, CA Tucson, AZ Firefly Restaurant Cool Café and Stanford Washington, DC Cooleatz Catering Charles Clover Stanford, CA Chairman Daniel Boulud Blue Marine Foundation Chef and Owner Theodore Canto Jr. Strand, London The Dinex Group St. John’s College New York, NY Annapolis, MD Jesse Ziff Cool Founder Terry Boyd Amy Cao Flea Street Café Publisher Writer and Head of Menlo Park, CA Blue Kitchen Community Cool Café and Stanford Foodspotting.com Cooleatz Catering Terrance Brennan Stanford, CA Chef-Proprietor Kim Carlson Picholine and Artisanal Editorial Director Luca Corrazzina Culinate Blog Executive Chef New York, NY 312Chicago Norman Carreaux Chicago, IL Sean Brock Executive Chef Manager Chef Norfolk, VA Steve Corry McCrady’s and Husk Chef and Owner Charleston, SC Michael Carr-Turnbough Five Fifty-Five and Vice President Culinary Petite Jacqueline Christopher Brunst Sage Hospitality Portland, ME Sous Chef II Denver, CO Oberlin, OH Dominique Crenn Patrick Cassata Chef and Owner Jan Buhrman Executive Chef Atelier Crenn Chef, Caterer and Wheaton, IL , CA Sustainable Food Advocate Chefs Collaborative Network Boston, MA

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Matthew Crudder Denise DeCarlo Michael Doctulero Executive Chef Chef Executive Chef National Geographic Los Angeles, CA Scott’s Restaurant & Bar Society and Los Angeles, CA Local Artisan James Delamar III Sodexo Corporate Executive Sous Chef Jim Dodge Service Solutions Cary, NC Chef and Director of Special Culinary Programs David Dadekian Christine Delcambre Bon Appetit Owner Director of Catering Management Company eat drink RI Mounds View, MN Palo Alto, CA

Crystal Daggett Michael Delcambre Joseph Drummer Sous Chef Executive Chef Executive Chef Walla Walla, WA Northfield, MN Durham, NC

Brian Dagnell Ari Derfel Jose Duarte Executive Chef Owner Taranta Restaurant Middletown, CT Gather Restaurant Boston, MA Berkeley, CA Melissa D’Arabian Thomas Dunklin Host Xavier Deshayes Executive Chef “Ten Dollar Dinners with Executive Chef B&O American Brasserie Melissa D’Arabian” on Ronald Reagan Building , MD Food Network and and International Trade “Drop 5 Pounds with Good Center Kevin Durfee Housekeeping” on Washington, DC Owner Cooking Channel George’s of Kelly Dickson Galilee Restaurant Kevin Davis Executive Chef Narragansett, RI Chef and Owner Caldwell, ID Blueacre Seafood Louis Ehlinger Jr. Steelhead Diner Teddy Diggs Executive Chef Seattle, WA Executive Chef Newberg, OR Home Port Kiley Davis Restaurant and Rob Evans Chef and Manager The Beach Plum Hugo’s and Salem, OR Inn & Restaurant Duckfat Restaurants Menemsha, MA Portland, ME Mike Davis Chef and Owner Michael Dimin Terrell Evans Terra Sea to Table Chef Manager West Columbia, SC Santa Clara, CA William S. Dissen Peter Davis Owner and Executive Chef Rahm Fama Executive Chef The Market Place Chef Henrietta’s Table and Restaurant Washington, DC The Charles Hotel Asheville, NC Cambridge, MA

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Paul Fehribach Richard Garcia Todd Gray Executive Chef and Owner 606 Congress Co-Owner Big Jones Boston, MA Equinox, Watershed Chicago, IL and Muse at the Corcoran Jacqueline Gardner Washington, DC Eric Fenster D Bar Desserts Owner Denver, CO Allen Gross Gather Restaurant Executive Chef Berkeley, CA Colby Garrelts Angola, IN Owner and Executive Chef Sonja Finn Bluestem Arturo Guevara Chef and Owner Kansas City, MO Café Chef Dinette Chicago, IL Pittsburgh, PA Craig Gatewood Executive Chef Humberto Guevara Mark Fischer Belmont, CA Executive Chef Chef and Owner San Jose, CA six89, The Pullman and Sally Jo Gehrke Phat Thai Proprietor Christopher Gumm Carbondale, CO Sustainable Dream Chef Manager Greenhouses Brooklyn Park, MN Adam Fleischman Whalan, MN Umami Burger Reuben Haag Los Angeles, CA Alison Ghiorse Executive Chef Owner Clinton, NY Eric Foster Savory Thymes Executive Chef Mill Valley, CA Carla Hall Cary, NC Chef Kevin Gillespie Washington, DC Thom Fox Chef and Co-Owner Chef Woodfire Grill Jennifer Hancox San Francisco, CA Atlanta, GA Zone Manager Mountain View, CA Betty Fraser Bryce Gilmore Chef Chef and Owner Mark Harris Los Angeles, CA Barley Swine Executive Chef Austin, TX Portland, OR James S. Fujii Executive Chef Michael Grandon Markus Hartmann Pleasanton, CA Chef and Manager District Manager San Mateo, CA San Francisco, CA Mark Furstenberg Founder Danny Grant Alan M. Hause Marvelous Market and Executive Chef Chef and President The BreadLine RIA What’s The Occasion? Washington, DC Chicago, IL Catering, Inc. dba Fabulous Food Steve Ganner Pearland, TX District Manager California

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Sam Hayward Trevett Hooper David Kinch Chef and Co-Owner Chef Chef and Owner Fore Street Legume Bistro Manresa Restaurant Portland, ME Pittsburgh, PA Los Gatos, CA Executive Chef The Cobscook Brian Horne Samuel King Bay Company Executive Chef President and CEO Trescott, ME Sodexo Corporate King’s Seafood Company Services Solutions Costa Mesa, CA Sam Hazen Gannett Co. Inc. Executive Chef Matthew Kirkley Veritas Travis Huckaba Executive Chef Washington, DC Sous Chef L20 Research Triangle Chicago, IL Matthew Hedrick Park, NC Sous Chef Eli Kirshtein Durham, NC Mike Isabella Chef Chef and Owner Greg Higgins Graffiato John E. Klancar Chef and Owner Washington, DC Director of Operations Higgins Restaurant & Bar Oberlin, OH Portland, OR Wayne Johnson Executive Chef Michael Kornick Maria Hines Ray’s Boathouse Chef and Owner Chef and Owner Seattle, WA DMK Restaurants and Tilth Restaurant and mk Restaurant Golden Beetle Richard Jon Chicago, IL Restaurant & Bar Executive Chef Consulting Chef Seattle, WA Carmel, IN and Partner N9ne Group Raymond Ho Douglas Katz Las Vegas, NV Chef and Owner Chef and Owner Tataki Sushi Bar Fire Food and Drink Lisa Kornick San Francisco, CA Cleveland, OH Owner mk Restaurant Chad Hoffers J. Paul Keiser Chicago, IL Chef and Co-Owner Sous Chef Thames Street Kitchen Menomonee Falls, WI Chris Kostow Newport, RI Chef Thomas Keller The Restaurant at Buzz Hofford The French Laundry Meadowood District Manager Yountville, CA St. Helena, CA Seattle, WA Jay Keller John A. Krissinger C. Dean Holliday Chef Executive Chef Executive Chef Washington, DC Saint Mary’s City, MD Cleveland, OH Bridgeen Keys S. Jeff Krivokopich District Manager Executive Chef San Jose, CA Los Angeles, CA

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Lisa Kurth Jamie Leeds Kin Lui Executive Chef Chef and Owner Chef and Owner Los Angeles, CA Hank’s Oyster Bar Tataki Sushi Bar and Lounge San Francisco, CA Ris Lacoste Washington, DC Chef and Owner Nathan Lyon RIS Juana Lemus Celebrity Chef and Author Washington, DC Baker Santa Fe, NM Deborah Madison Bun Lai Cookbook Author, Chef and CEO Chris Lenza Food Writer and Miya’s Sushi Sous Chef Former Chef Monterey Bay Sustainable Scottsdale, AZ Seafood Ambassador Michael Mahony New Haven, CT Robin Leventhal General Manager Crave LLC Durham, NC Michael Laiskonis Seattle, WA Consultant Sara Mair Michael Leviton Chef Guido Lambelet Chef and Owner Executive Chef Lumiere Thomas Mallari Santa Fe, NM Newton, MA Sous Chef Chef and Partner Santa Clara, CA Melody Lambelet Area Four General Manager Cambridge, MA Chris Masco Santa Fe, NM Executive Chef Rob Levitt The Westin Copley Place Victor Lane Owner Boston, MA Chef Manager The Butcher & Larder Cleveland, OH Chicago, IL Daniel Mattern Chef and Owner Gregory LaPrad Kristofer Lofgren Cooks County Restaurant Chef and Restaurateur Owner Los Angeles, CA Quiessence Restaurant Bamboo Sushi Phoenix, AZ Portland, OR Oscar E. Matute Chef Manager Kevin Lasko Jacqueline Lombard South San Francisco, CA Executive Chef Chef and Owner Park Avenue Spring Jacqueline Lombard Emanuel May New York, NY Events Executive Chef Durham, NC Bernard Laskowski Anthony Lombardo Director of Executive Chef Nathan McCall Culinary Operations 1789 Restaurant Owner Chicago, IL Washington, DC McCall’s Meat and Fish Company Edward Lee Bob Lubecky Los Angeles, CA 610 Magnolia Restaurant Resident District Manager Louisville, KY Santa Clara, CA Janet McCracken Deputy Food Editor Bon Appetit Magazine

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Chadwick Mcwilliams Jonathan Michael Nathan Alan Petersen Chef O’Carroll Resident District Manager Santa Clara, CA Executive Chef Durham, NC Columbus, OH Jeffrey A. Merkousko Sherree J. Petrillo Chef and Manager Kevin O’Connor Sous Chef Research Triangle Sous Chef Grove City, PA Park, NC Mountain View, CA Tim Petrillo Robin Miller Andrew A. Olson President Host The Restaurant People “Quick Fix Meals” Milpitas, CA Ft. Lauderdale, FL Food Network and Author John O’Neill Samuel Shearer Phillips Robin Takes 5 Executive Chef Executive Chef Boxborough, MA Portland, OR Kenneth B. Miller Sous Chef Craig O’Neill Mark Porcaro Grove City, PA Executive Sous Chef Corp Chef Baltimore, MD Select Restaurants Valentine Miller Cleveland, OH Sous Chef Ken Oringer Durham, NC Chef and Owner John Polonye Clio, Toro and Coppa Chef-Manager Andy Mirabell Boston, MA Cleveland, OH Operating Owner Skool Restaurant Daniel Orr Monica Pope San Francisco, CA FARMbloomington Owner and Executive Chef Bloomington, IN T’afia Carlo Mirarchi Houston, TX Chef Richard A. Panfil Roberta’s Executive Chef Nora Pouillon Brooklyn, NY Oberlin College Chef and Owner Oberlin, OH Restaurant Nora Michael Moroni Washington, DC Director of Roland Passot Residential Operations Chef and Owner Marc R. Powers Durham, NC La Folie Executive Chef San Francisco, CA Seattle, WA Toshihiro Nagano Executive Chef and Owner Cindy Pawlcyn Jessie Price Skool Restaurant Owner Deputy Editor San Francisco, CA Mustard’s Grill Food, EatingWell Cindy’s Backstreet Alison Negrin Brassica Stephan Pyles Executive Chef Napa Valley, CA Stephan Pyles Concepts John Muir Health System Dallas, TX Jay Payne David O’Brien Executive Chef Timothy Ramirez General Manager Seattle, WA Executive Chef Santa Clara, CA Denver, CO

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Eugene M. Rapone Douglas Rodriguez Sugijant Sastradi Executive Chef Chef Chef Grove City, PA Santa Clara, CA Jake Rojas Thierry Rautureau Tallulah on Thames Hajime Sato The Chef in the Hat Newport, RI Sushi Chef and Owner Rover’s and Luc Mashiko Restaurant Seattle, WA Dustin Ronspies Seattle, WA Chef and Owner Mary Reilly Art of the Table Pierre Schaedin Chef and Co-Owner Seattle, WA Founder Enzo Restaurant and Bar PS Tailored Events Newburyport, MA John Rose New York, NY Executive Chef Tim Reinbold La Mirada, CA Angelo Schifilliti Sous Chef Landmarc Restaurant Caldwell, ID Hosea Rosenberg New York, NY Chef and Owner Michel Richard Blackbelly Catering Becky Selengut Michel Richard Citronelle, Boulder, CO Author Washington, DC Good Fish Central Michel Richard, Derek Roy Seattle, WA Washington DC Executive Chef MICHEL by West Hartford, CT Shannon Shaffer Michel Richard, Executive Chef Tysons Corner, VA Michael Ruhlman Design Cuisine Central Michel Richard, Journalist, Author Arlington, VA Las Vegas, NV and Cook Nathan G. Shaw Paul Riley Lenny Russo Sous Chef Executive Chef Chef and Proprietor Lacey, WA Memphis, TN Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market Amy Sherman Eric Ripert St. Paul, MN Cooking with Amy blogger Chef and Co-Owner and Cookbook author Le Bernadin Thomas Salamunovich San Francisco, CA New York, NY Chef and Owner Larkspur Restaurant David Sherrill Mary Rippen Savory Group Executive Chef Operations Manager Vail, CO Seattle, WA Santa Clara, CA Sean Sanders Hiroko Shimbo Kerry Riter Chef and Owner Hiroko’s Kitchen, LLC General Manager Browntrout New York, NY Cleveland, OH Chicago, IL Alan Shook Adam Roberts Randy Sarbaugh Executive Chef Creator Chef de Cuisine Appleton, WI The Amateur Gourmet San Jose, CA

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Lisa Shroeder, C.C.P. Zach Steen RJ Thomas Executive Chef and Owner Sous Chef Vice President of Mother’s Bistro and Bar Frontera Grill Operations Portland, OR Chicago, IL Kings Seafood Company Costa Mesa, CA Ryan Forest Sides Robert Stehling Executive Sous Chef Chef and Owner Casey Thompson Durham, NC Hominy Grill Chef Charleston, SC Dallas, TX Derek Simcik Executive Chef Christian Stephenson Chris Tomboni Atwood Café Executive Chef Executive Chef Chicago, IL Portland, OR Longview, TX

Mark Simmons Craig Stoll Poppy Tooker Chef and Owner Delfina Host Kiwiana Restaurant San Francisco, CA “Louisiana Eats!” Brooklyn, NY Dan Sullivan Cristian Torres Steven P. Singleton Executive Chef Executive Chef Café Manager Seattle, WA Santa Clara, CA Minneapolis, MN Michael Symon Jerry Traunfeld Holly Dinning Smith Chef and Owner Chef and Owner Chef and Owner Michael Symon Poppy Café Juanita Restaurants Seattle, WA Kirkland, WA Cleveland, OH Casson Trenor Ryan Smith Bryan Szeliga Sustainability Expert Executive Chef Chef and Owner San Jose, CA Orzo Kitchen and Tataki Sushi Bar Wine Bar San Francisco, CA Donna Snyder Charlottesville, VA Sous Chef Kimberly Triplett Grove City, PA Jeff Tachibana Regional Operations Chef Support Mary T. Soto Milpitas, CA Towson, MD Executive Chef Washington, DC Sam Talbot Parke Ulrich Executive Chef Partner and Kristina Soyring The Surf Lodge Executive Chef Executive Chef Montauk, NY Waterbar Restaurant Minneapolis, MN San Francisco, CA Paul Taylor Donald J. Stauffer Executive Chef Jesus Valencia Executive Chef Cleveland, OH Chef , PA Santa Clara, CA Philippe Thelier Executive Chef Santa Clara, CA

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Douglas Venditti Chad White Executive Chef Executive Chef and Owner Durham, NC Sea Rocket Bistro and Gabardine Kristine Vinge San Diego, CA Chef and Manager San Jose, CA Shana Whitehead Chef and Owner David Viveralli Muddy Creek Café Director of Operations Winston-Salem, NC Bon Appetit Management Company Derek Whitney Durham, NC General Manager Broomfield, CO Bryan Voltaggio Volt Restaurant Erick Williams Frederick, MD Executive Chef mk Restaurant Cindy Walter Chicago, IL Passionfish Restaurant Pacific Grove, CA Jason Wilson Chef and Owner Eric Warnstedt CRUSH Restaurant Executive Chef and Owner Baltimore, MD Hen of the Wood Waterbury, VT Shannon Wilson Executive Chef Robbie Washington Seattle, WA Chef Manager Cleveland, OH Curtis Wong Sous Chef Lucia Watson Durham, NC Chef and Owner Lucia’s Kenny Zhu Minneapolis, MN Chef and Owner Tataki Sushi Bar Jason Weiner San Francisco, CA Chef and Partner Almond Restaurants Wild Rhody New York, NY Seafood Company West Kingston, RI Cathy Whims Chef Nostrana Portland, OR

Jasper White Chef Boston, MA

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