Rick Moonen

RICK MOONEN on Why Buying Sustainable Seafood Matters

by Sandra Murphy

An early promoter of sustainable fishing, celebrity chef Rick Moonen is the owner of both RM Seafood and Rx

Boiler Room, in Las Vegas, and brand promoter for True North Seafood. His cookbook, Fish Without a Doubt: The Cook’s Essential Companion, features only seafood that hasn’t been overfished. He was named Chef of the Year in 2011 by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which publishes an up-to-date Seafood Watch guide to sustainable species (SeafoodWatch.org).

Moonen’s latest project is promoting non-BPA canned seafood to reduce waste, encourage everyone to eat lower on the food chain and give popular fish a chance to rebound.

Do healthy food trends start with chefs or customers asking for more nutritious dishes?

Both. Chefs are inherently curious. When a new food is available, they’re challenged to see how it can be used. Customers spread the word via social media. Travel broadens our palate. Trying something new is supercool.