AltaSea To Highlight Sustainable Seafood, Showcase Award-Winning Chefs At Blue Hour Event By Writer and Contributor Emily McGinn
Local nonprofit AltaSea is hosting its sixth annual fundraiser, Blue Hour, on Sept. 27 at Lands End at the AltaSea campus. This year, the theme will be “The Culinary Arts of Blue Food” and will intertwine science, culture, food and sustainability.
The event will feature chef demonstrations, ocean-inspired culinary creations, works of art made from food and live music. Michelin Award-winning chef Sammy Monsour, known for his work as a chef, restaurateur, author and political food activist, will curate a menu of ocean food and drinks for guests to enjoy as they explore four immersive “Blue Food” pavilions.
“I’ve admired AltaSea’s work for years — they’re bringing together science, business and community to tackle some of the most urgent challenges facing our ocean,” Monsour shared in a statement to the Palos Verdes Pulse. “As a chef and food activist, I believe in using my platform to support organizations that are creating tangible change. Blue Hour isn’t just a fundraiser, it’s a celebration of innovation and collaboration. I’m honored to contribute to an evening that shines a light on sustainable seafood and the people working to protect the future of our blue planet.”
The pavilions will include the LA Harbor College Pavilion, which will feature next-generation culinary talent; the Seaweed Pavilion, which will focus on seaweed as a sustainable food source; the Braid Theory Pavilion, which will center around ocean-conscious packaging; and the Blue Robotics Pavilion, which will offer a chef-curated tasting of oysters and highlight shelf-stable, sustainable ocean food options.
The event will aim to convey the importance of furthering a blue economy — which refers to using ocean resources in a productive way while conserving ocean ecosystems — and ensuring sustainable development of the seafood industry moving forward by merging the culinary and the sciences.
“Sustainability tells us why change is needed, science shows us how to do it and the culinary world makes it delicious and desirable,” Monsour says. “You can have the most sustainable, scientifically sound food system in the world, but if people don’t want to eat what’s on the plate, it won’t work. Chefs can bridge that gap — transforming responsible choices into craveable experiences that move the needle for the environment and our communities.”
Other featured chefs will include James Beard and Julia Child Award-winning chef Mary Sue Milliken and local chef Dustin Trani, who opened ocean-to-table concept Trani’s Dockside Station in San Pedro in 2023.
“I hope they leave inspired — not just by the food, but by the bigger story it tells,” Milliken shared in a statement to the Palos Verdes Pulse. “I want guests to walk away knowing that every bite they take has the power to shape the future, and that they have a role to play in protecting our oceans. If Blue Hour can spark even one new advocate for sustainable seafood, that’s a win for all of us.”
Celebrity chef and restaurateur Andrew Zimmern is slated to receive this year’s Innovation Award at the event, recognizing him for his contributions to the sustainable seafood movement and the blue economy. Zimmern co-created PBS documentary-series “Hope in the Water,” which highlights the stories of aquafarmers and fishers working toward a more sustainable future. He has spent decades sharing stories about global water systems on television, and he served as a Global Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme and The Nature Conservancy. He also is a founding member of the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture, and he works with the Environmental Working Group to further access to sustainable seafood.
Most recently, Zimmern authored “The Blue Food Cookbook: Delicious Recipes for a Sustainable Future.” That book, which releases this October, features more than 145 seafood-centric recipes.
“I’m honored to receive AltaSea’s Innovation Award and to celebrate the blue economy,” Zimmern said in a release. “AltaSea’s work in promoting sustainable aquaculture and seafood inspires a new way of thinking about our relationship with the ocean, aligning with a belief I’ve long held: sustainable seafood is key to both nourishing communities and preserving our oceans for future generations.”
AltaSea also plans to award Chadwick Ocean Institute with the NextGen Award, and AltaSea Trustee Eric Johnson is expected to receive the Cornerstone Award for his role in AltaSea’s growth.
Funds from the event will go towards AltaSea’s Ocean STEM, a program that provides free educational programs to students in Los Angeles at no cost.
“My hope is that guests leave with a deeper understanding of everything AltaSea represents — and that they walk away more informed and inspired about the importance of sustainability,” Trani shared in a statement to the Palos Verdes Pulse. “It’s about connecting people to the ocean and showing them how they can be part of protecting it.”
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and awards will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $150.
Bio:
Emily McGinn is a journalist based in the Los Angeles area. She enjoys reporting on and writing about a variety of topics from lifestyle to news, especially in her areas of specialty, environmental science and political science.