Michael Chernow: One Chef's Plan To Save The Oceans

AS AMERICAN DINERS EXPAND THEIR HORIZONS to foods like sweetbreads and kale, there’s one area where palates remain conservative: seafood. Of the 27,300 fish species on earth, chef Michael Chernow says we only eat about five of them: tuna, salmon, halibut, sea bass and cod. And while it’s not evil to prefer cod over porgie, our limited tastes propel issues — species depletion, fish farms and a market in which 90% of American-consumed fish is imported.

So, Chernow, host of FYI’s Food Porn and co-founder of the Meatball Shop, had mixed emotions about opening a seafood restaurant. How would his place avoid these epidemic trends? The answer was Seamore’s, a sustainable seafood joint serving only abundant fish. However, Chernow has disruptively decided to skip ineffective soapbox lectures for a softer approach, relying on cooking skills to popularize underutilized species.

One chef's plan to save the oceans.

Michael Chernow - Host of FYI’s Food Porn, Founder of Seamore's

OUR CURRENT EATING HABITS rely on overfishing, fish farms and low-quality imports.

“Fishermen do crazy things to meet consumer demand,” Chernow continues. “For one, they’ll overfish certain species and destroy the ocean’s ecosystem. That’s why we’ve seen such a sharp decrease in larger fish like sharks, whales and dolphins — we’re eliminating their food source.”

Chernow also references the unfortunate use of fishing nets, which, spanning up to five miles, kill everything in their paths.

“But of all these things, unenclosed fish farms are the worst,” he argues. “Because farm-raised fish can escape and mate with wild ones, permanently washing the species of pre-programmed character traits. Take salmon, which have this incredible genetic code to migrate. Farm-raised fish don’t got it — it’s like someone turned off their GPS. And when they mate with wild salmon, they threaten the species forever.”

The Issue: Americans Eat Too Few Species Of Fish

“That’s why we’ve seen such a sharp decrease in larger fish like sharks, whales and dolphins — we’re eliminating their food source.”

“Farm-raised fish can escape and mate with wild fish, permanently washing the species of their pre-programmed character traits.”

TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE GOT HERE we must first understand why certain fish became popular.

“It boils down to money,” Chernow asserts. “A restaurant can clean a 75 lb. tuna in 15 minutes. They can cut that tuna into more than 100 portions. But with smaller fish, like those found on the East Coast, you only get one or two portions. It takes a hell of a lot longer to cut 100 servings, and that costs time and money.”

So, restaurants popularize financially lucrative fish, and our orders follow suit. That means it’s partially our fault the ocean’s ecosystem is being destroyed.

“The seafood paradigm is all wrong. Instead of focusing on supply — fish that are readily available — we focus on demand. It’s totally backwards.”

“The seafood paradigm is all wrong. Instead of focusing on supply — fish that are readily available — we focus on demand.”

WHEN CHERNOW BRAINSTORMED ways of disrupting this unfortunate system, one thing stood out:

“Everyone knows we have to change consumer mentality,” he says. “The idea we deserve to eat whatever, whenever. But there are a lot of people who just stand on their soapbox and lecture — that’s not really effective. So, I decided to take what I do best, cook, and use that to shift popular opinion.”

Those visiting Seamore’s won’t find popular fish like tuna. What they will find are deliciously innovative preparations of underutilized local species — like dogfish tacos that expand appreciation for the unfortunately named breed with every bite.

“The fact that you don’t know these fish doesn’t mean they aren’t delicious. And what better way to learn than by eating?”

The Solution: Expand American Tastebuds

Michael Chernow - Host of FYI’s Food Porn, Founder of Seamore

Chernow uses his personal brand and famed cooking skills to put underutilized fish on the map, introducing — and hopefully engraining — them into the American palate. He’s creating a mini economy in which, for the first time, supply trumps consumer demand.

“Michael’s taken a culture shift into his own hands,” says Dan Barber, co-owner of famed New York restaurant, Blue Hill. “And it is possible to shift culture — just look at monkfish, which were thrown off boats 25 years ago. It’s up to chefs to introduce abundant species to diners in creative ways. Michael is leading that charge.”

MOVING TOWARD A SUPPLY-BASED ECONOMY

“You go to the closest body of water, drop your boat in and catch a fish. Then you eat it. This isn’t rocket science; it’s logic.”

WE CAN DO BATTER — we can open our minds and our stomachs to underutilized fish. That means trout and catfish for the Midwest; bluefish and porgie out East. It’s a simple switch, but paramount.

“I didn’t found Seamore’s to save the world,” Chernow says. “I founded Seamore’s to be logical: you go to the closest body of water, drop your boat in and catch a fish. Then you eat it. This isn’t rocket science; it’s logic.”

For a taste of the disruption, visit Seamore’s at 390 Broome St. in New York City.

*Infographic by Frank Guia.

SO, WHAT CAN WE DO?

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Written By

Emily Siegel

Written On

03.07.2016

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Dave Krugman

Mario Batali

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June Oven

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Michael Chernow

One chef's plan to save the oceans.

The Issue: Americans Eat Too Few Species Of Fish

The Solution: Expand American Tastebuds

MOVING TOWARD A SUPPLY-BASED ECONOMY

SO, WHAT CAN WE DO?

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