.: SASSI Trailblazer Awards 2017

Do you make sure that you always order and buy sustainable fish and seafood? If you want to know which fish it is, just download the App from the World Wildlife Fund SASSI Website http://wwfsassi.co.za/ and read about how important this is to us and our ocean resources. This week we were invited to Harbour House to see who got this year's SASSI Trailblazer awards

Chilling on the top deck of Harbour House in the V&A Waterfront

Building on the phenomenal success of SASSI’s traffic light guide amongst the South African public, the SASSI Trailblazer Awards recognise and celebrate chefs who are actively championing sustainable seafood practices in their restaurants

Eamon McLoughlin announcing the 2017 Awards that went to:

Philip Alcock (SeaBreeze Fish & Shell, Cape Town)
Robert Giljam (Societi Bistro, Cape Town)
Julie Carter (Ocean Jewels, Cape Town)
Giles Edwards (La Tête, Cape Town)
Massimo Orione (Massimo’s, Hout Bay, Cape Town)
John McArdle (The Big Mouth, Johannesburg)
Graham Neilson (9th Ave Bistro, Durban)

The Media Award this year went to writer Anna Trapido. She was unable to attend, she lives in Johannesburg.

Brad Ball, Group Executive Chef of the Harbour House Group (and a previous recipient of the awards) hosted the event

He commented: "We are taking responsibility for our oceans. Chefs serve as the gatekeepers for the food and hospitality industry and therefore play a critical role in leading market forces and influencing popular taste. The reality is that chefs who support and promote ocean-friendly seafood can help ensure that there are fish to catch and enjoy tomorrow. My role is to do this, and to make up-and-coming chefs aware of what’s at stake”

SASSI Programme Manager at WWF-SA Pavitray Pillay commented: “Our partnerships with chefs are inspired by a love of seafood and a shared commitment to help restore our overexploited seafood species. The chefs we are recognising have gone the extra mile in advocating the sustainability message”

She presented the Awards. This is Massimo Orione (Massimo’s, Hout Bay)

Philip Alcock (SeaBreeze Fish & Shell, Cape Town)

Robert Giljam (Societi Bistro, Cape Town)

Julie Carter (Ocean Jewels, Cape Town)

Giles Edwards (La Tête, Cape Town)

PRO Clare Mack told us that the recipients from Johannesburg and Durban were not able to come but their awards would be sent to them

We were served some sushi to share

The winning chefs with Brad Ball and one of his young chefs

We know Julie Carter; we worked near her stall when we worked at the Biscuit Mill. Her successful deli and shop is in The Woodstock Exchange where you can buy fish and eat something off her menu

John Duncan of SASSI was amused to meet John Duncan Ford. Both their Duncan ancestors come from Banff in Scotland but we are not sure if there is a connection. Lynne had a long chat with him about why some of the fish has two classifications, which can be confusing. It is all about the way it is caught