Millennials and the dwindling Dorado!

It has been a really long time since I wrote anything, and a lot has happened since then. I work for a broadliner now as their Food Fanatic. I travel a lot more, which I love. I get to see what is trending in different parts of the country and I get to leave my imprint of Florida cuisine where I go. What is a Food Fanatic? Well, that is a great question - Sharing the love of food while inspiring business success with culinarians. But we are so much more. I know here in South Florida, I help our customers success by teaming up to help them grow their business. I do not mind jumping on their line if they need help. I help them come up with innovative items to enhance their menus and I help train their staff. Why, I have a passion for this business. So, we help our customers to succeed in a variety of ways, but we also look at up and coming trends. We help locate items that the customers might need. We help train our Territory Managers to ensure they know the products. We have live Events that most people have never had the opportunity to experience, but there is so much more. Lately, I have been hearing a lot of news about an indigenous fish to South Florida. We are hearing that it is becoming harder and harder to find this local fish. Prices are going up for the operators which means that the cost will spill over to their guests to pay that difference. In a report from Spend Matter, dated 8/8/2016 "Mahi Mahi: Fish Price Leaps to a 4-Year High". It states that Peru is the largest producer of this fish, which accounts for 50% of market. The article also states that the fish are moving because of El Nino, which started in 2015. Now, let me say, I know this fish as Bullnose dolphin. Latin American know this fish as Dorado and Hawiians know it as; Mahi Mahi. The lack of supply in this fish has caused me to rethink what we chefs do. I have presented different topics to the National Convention of the American Culinary Federation for the last four years. Two years ago I presented on the topic Grass Finished vs. Grain Finished. One thing that I pointed out, is the power we as chefs have on our community. Think about that for a second. If you do not believe me, think about the last time you saw Swordfish on a menu. Think about trans fat, is it good or is it bad. Yes science plays a role with that but we can start it. Here in Florida we have an invasion of Lionfish, but yet the wholesale cost of the Lionfish is $14.95 a pound. You saw correct, a fish that needs to be eradicated from our coast costs $14.95 a pound, why? We have fishermen going after HUGE schools of fish by trawling with nets. Do you think for a second when they are going after flounder they only get flounder? What about tuna, do you think only the tunas jump right into the nets labeled tuna? No, they don't, not at all. What happens is, you get a lot of bi-catch. Oh what do they do with the bi-catch you ask. They carefully remove the bi-catch, taking the time necessary to carefully remove the animal from the net. If you believe that, I have an island in the Keys for sale with no waterfront view for a buck. In box me for the location. People, we as chefs can market our fish differently. We can educate our guests to ask for items. Why would someone from the Northeast or the middle of the US come to Florida to have Steelhead or Chilean Sea Bass (do not get me started about this!) How many restaurants do you go into and see "Catch of the Day" and it's Farm raised Salmon! Really, that is their fish. No offense, but if that is how inventive that chef or operator is then I will take a burger please. Chefs should be offering their guests "Day Boat" Specials! Think about getting fish that are in season? Think about the profitability one can maintain with that? Think about the guests that would never get sick of having the same "Catch of the Day!"? Think about what we, as chefs can do for our environment? We, as humans, explore outer space more than on our oceans. What species have already died off because we have killed off another? Think about all the pollutants we put into our ocean? Five years ago you could go about a mile out from the coast of Palm Beach and hit Bullnose, today, best of luck! 15 to 20 years ago, my goodness they were everywhere. This is reminiscent of the Native Americans, and the reports of how much Buffalo roamed the West. How many Buffalo are there now roaming the West? I am not a trophy hunter or fisherman, I am a chef. I catch the food and I eat the food I catch. I will teach my daughter the same philosophy. The all mighty dollar is what fuels the food we eat, excuse the pun. As chefs, we have to teach, mentor and train the next generation of chefs. But we also have to teach our guests that eat in our restaurants. We have to buy from suppliers that source from fisheries that are sustainable. We all have to be more seasonality to keep our profits in check. This will also help keep our menus fresh and up to date as well. Millennials, they want to know where their food comes from. Millennials, are going to drive chefs to know where their food is coming from. Why not get ahead of the game and take care in where you buy your food! We as chefs have the power in our hands to save our food supply but demanding our vendors to practice safe harvesting of our natural resources. Become more seasonal and more sustainable, your Millennial guests are demanding it!