TORONTO — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Nobilo Wines partnered to host a three-course dinner at the iYellow Loft in Toronto to launch Seafood Month, which kicks off in October.
Chef Charlotte Langley prepared three unique dishes for guests, which included a tropical shrimp ceviche, lobster-saffron risotto and a tomato-ricotta tart with roasted cod. All three dishes were paired with Nobilo Wines — two sauvignon blanc, including a special edition ‘Icon’ bottle, and a pinot noir.
As a chef ambassador for the MSC and P.E.I native, Langley discussed her love of seafood and the importance of preserving the oceans.
“Sustainable, traceable, ethical — all of these things align with myself. I’ve been cooking with seafood for 15 years and one thing I love about what the MSC has taught me is that the ocean is a renewable resource,” Langley says. “If we manage our ocean use, if we’re mindful of it and give it some rest, it can renew itself.
The MSC has more than 28,000 MSC-labelled seafood products available around the world and more than 400 fisheries are engaged in MSC programs. At a time when seafood fraud is plaguing the industry, the MSC has positioned itself as the answer.
“We believe we are the solution,” says Jay Lugar, program director, MSC Canada. “Of all the products that have eco-labels on them, they are exactly what they say they are. They come from the source fishery that they’re from and they are the product they say they are. Every package, every store and every restaurant. We encourage them to support the fisheries that are supplying these products.”
A recent study conducted by the MSC found that 54 per cent of people are concerned about overfishing, while 83 per cent agree that fish must be protected for future generations to enjoy.
Langley echoed a similar sentiment, noting that, “it’s a collective responsibility for us to be aware if you want to continue to eat and live the way we do. It’s not hard to understand where your food comes from.”
