“Chefs are key to driving change, creating seafood dishes that inspire and create awareness!”
– Pavs Pillay, WWF-SASSI Manager
Chefs play a vital role as key influencers in the food, culinary and hospitality industries, shaping market and food trends significantly. By exploring a variety of seafood options, chefs not only broaden consumers’ culinary experiences but can help transform the fishing industry and safeguard our oceans and its resources. Chefs who advocate for sustainable seafood practices and only serve ocean friendly seafood contribute to the availability of fish for future generations to relish.
When chefs choose sustainable seafood, they directly shape the seafood supply chain and when they ask the three WWF-SASSI questions when procuring seafood (What species is it?, How was it caught or farmed? And Where does it come from?) they encourage seafood suppliers and producers to increase their transparency, allow for better traceability and move the supply chain toward offering high-quality, sustainable seafood products. Using ocean-friendly species pushes chefs to be more creative and inspires them to create new seafood dishes with unfamiliar and underutilised species opening up their menu offerings and challenging other chefs to push the culinary boundaries – allowing for new gastronomic experiences.
When chefs and restaurants make the public more aware of the environmental impacts of serving species out of season or species that are regarded as unsustainable, it benefits not only the fish species but will have long-term impact on the oceans’ health and have far-reaching socio-economic consequences for the fishing industry and people’s livelihoods.
Every restaurant and its staff have the power to make a difference and you and your establishment become known as a chef that cares for our planet and future seafood lovers!
Sustainable seafood is more than just advocating for the protection of the marine resources, there is a strong business case to be made across the entire supply and value chains within the hospitality industry. More and more chefs are being seen as the new “rockstars” of the world with global platforms like MasterChef, Ultimate Braai Master and other cooking shows reaching new popularity heights and attracting new audiences, both local and global. These platforms coupled with social media has catapulted chefs into the limelight. Through these channels chefs can make significant changes in the industry from raising awareness about sustainable seafood to shifting people’s behaviour.
Working beyond the kitchen, chefs can contribute to national and provincial food policies and advocate for changes in the food system , such as better legislation around food labelling, curbing food loss and waste, and ensuring that suppliers are transparent whilst reporting the sale of illegal or specially protected species. Chefs have a unique yet important story to tell and can help shift systems beyond the culinary and hospitality industry.
WWF-SASSI recognises industry-leading chefs that are engaged in promoting sustainable seafood and honours chefs who take responsibility for seafood choices in their kitchens.
Our WWF-SASSI chef champions are culinary trailblazers who implement seafood sustainability in their restaurants, tell their clients, staff and suppliers about their seafood sustainability practices and inspire consumers by spreading the WWF-SASSI message via social media, events and TV appearances.
Michelle is personally dedicated to sourcing only sustainable seafood. At this award winning restaurant in the Winelands there is an emphasis on fresh sustainably sourced food and cooking with a local twist. It was while working with the previous chef Chris Erasmus that Michelle honed her sustainable credentials.
Chef Neill Anthony is a Cape Town based. As well as a culinary star on TV he now heads up the kitchens at award winning restaurant, La Mouette. Since training with Gordon Ramsey and Marcus Wareing in the UK, he has stuck to his principles of embracing sustainability in the kitchen. His mantra is seasonal, ethical and local is lekker.
Namibian-born Nicole Loubser studied at the Institute of Culinary Arts in Stellenbosch. Ambitious and passionate about sustainability she likes to push culinary boundaries and has tripped the light fantastic at La Colombe, The Test Kitchen, and at JAN in Nice. She now heads the kitchen at Gåte Restaurant on Quoin Rock wine farm near Stellenbosch where she is putting all her high-end experience to good use. At a relatively youthful 25, Nicole is set to leave her mark on the culinary scene in South Africa.
UK-born Master Chef and celebrity judge, Pete Goffe-Wood grew up in South Africa and has been a professional chef for over three decades. He received classical training at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Umhlanga Rocks, Durban, before heading to London, where he honed his skills at some of the West End’s award-winning restaurants.
Pete returned to South Africa and has since been making waves in South Africa’s culinary world and continues to push the boundaries of innovation and flavour. He is now a judge on the hit show Ultimate Braaimaster and a passionate advocate for seafood sustainability, inspiring both chefs and home cooks to make mindful, ocean-friendly choices.
Peter has been cooking for over 18 years. It was when he worked under George Jardine that he realized he had better get down to the learning of how to be a real cook. Peter has humbly and creatively steered Savoyn Cabbage through to culinary excellence. Savoy Cabbage in Peter’s hands is an establishment which is a dedicated follower of Green listed SASSI fish.
Chef Philip Alcock, is a master when it comes to cooking seafood. He uses only the freshest and best locally sourced seafood available. Philip has been a chef for over 24 years. He gained most of his experience in Europe with internationally renowned chefs such as Raymond Blanc, Marco Pierre White and the Roux brothers. While working in the UK he worked in a string of restaurants with Michelin stars as an Executive chef. Since arriving in Cape Town Philip has moved from one successful venture to the next. He has gained respect and attention in the culinary industry.
Robert Giljam is a graduate of the City & Guilds accredited Capsicum Culinary Studios he is now head chef at Societi Bistro in Gardens, Cape Town. Robert is passionate about sustainability and bringing together a balance of flavours, adding a unique twist to traditional cuisine.Now cooking at the award winning Societi Bistro he has the space to pursue sustainable cooking in the way he wants. The fish which he tries to cook with on a weekly are hake and yellowtail and tuna when available.
Chef Rudi Liebenberg’s vast career has seen him work in three of South Africa’s largest cities. Today he runs one of the biggest and oldest kitchens in Cape Town, sourcing only the best ingredients for his menu. He will not compromise on quality. He prefers free-range and organic meat products and has made a commitment to serve only sustainable seafood, but his first love is still the humble tomato.
Ryan Shell’s menu revolves around seasonal produce which is sourced locally or grown organically on Haute Cabriere, and the flavours and textures on the plate are specifically designed to complement the wines produced on the farm. Once a lecturer at the prestigious Prue Leith Chef’s Academy, Ryan spent his early years as a chef working under Margot Janse, Mike Bassett, Rudi Liebenberg and Chris Erasmus, and spent some time at the Michelin Star restaurant Longueville Manor on the British Island of Jersey.
Sias hails from East London in the Eastern Cape. He is head chef at the Harbour House and has been with that group for 11 years. Sias is passionate about preparing and serving green listed fish from the kitchens. During his time in his position he has overseen the drive to become SASSI compliant at this restaurant group.
Born in Welkom, Orange Free State, Simon is a self-‐taught chef and restaurateur. Current owner and chef at Fat Fish, past projects include Brothers Restaurant and Terrace, a partnership he ran with his brother. Now with two Fat Fish restaurants to run, one in Plettenberg Bay and one in George, Simon lives in the area with his wife and two children.
The menu he has created for Societi Bistro focuses on slow, careful cooking governed by seasonally available ingredients. He is passionate about supporting local producers, which also allows him to offer reasonably-priced dishes to his customers. Being a SASSI Trailblazer is a point of pride for Stefan, who enjoys introducing less popular, sustainable fish species to his menu.
*Disclaimer: WWF-SASSI does not endorse or certify restaurants/businesses/establishments but rather works with culinary champions to improve their sustainable seafood offerings and reduce demand for exploited species. The WWF-SASSI logo should not be on menus or displayed in restaurants, please let us know if you see this by emailing us at [email protected]
