Sustainable Seafood Choices

At Blackberry Farm, we create dishes that are inspired by this region, so naturally our fish choices are typically focused on the freshwater kind. However, not denying that sustainable seafood choices can make a very memorable dish, we do make a conscious decision to make appropriate purchases to help sustain and protect marine life when the menu calls for something from the sea.

As a fisherman himself, Grand Chef Joseph Lenn not only understands the beauty of water life, and respects the dangers that threaten this resource, but also wants to share what other great alternatives there are to creating a beautiful seafood dish. "In the kitchen, we all want to do our part. So working with respected vendors and creating menus that use product that is safe to use, we are able to not only provide a memorable meal, but also do our part to support an industry and maintain a positive impact on the resource, " Chef Joseph says.

In conjunction with Relais and Châteaux, Blackberry Farm’s team of chefs have pledged a commitment to protecting “Humanity’s Biggest Larder: The Sea.”

Here are the Six Commitments that Blackberry Farm along with the rest of Relais and Châteaux have pledged to:

1. Relais & Châteaux members are aware of the issues contributing to seafood resources’ increasing depletion.

2. Relais & Châteaux members are aware that they can positively impact resource conservation as seafood professional buyers.

3. Relais & Châteaux members are ready to commit themselves to a sustainable seafood sourcing approach (e.g., purchasing fish from healthy and well-managed populations, minimum maturity size reached, environmentally respectful fishing techniques).

4. Relais & Châteaux members commit themselves to communicate their responsible seafood choices to the consumer (e.g., species origin, how the fish was caught or farmed, etc.).

5. Relais & Châteaux members commit themselves to no longer serving or promoting endangered species and to withdraw them from their menu throughout the coming year (e.g., species such as orange roughy, eel, etc.).

6. Given the urgent situation regarding bluefin tuna (Atlantic and Mediterranean), Relais & Châteaux members commit themselves to no longer serve this species from January 1, 2010, onwards.