Chefs Descend on Grand Isle in Show of Force

Chicago chef and restaurateur Rick Tramonto’s has placed a priority on dispelling the concerns about Gulf seafood.

By Veronica Del Bianco

Chicago chef and restaurateur Rick Tramonto’s new book is all about steak, but Gulf seafood is the first thing on his mind right now. He’ll be front and center at Chefs Ashore, an event drawing celebrity chefs from around the country to Grand Isle. The two-day summit aims to educate chefs outside Louisiana about what’s happening in the Gulf, the safety of Louisiana seafood and the future of the fishing industry.

Louisiana Seafood News caught up with Tramonto to find out why he’s getting involved.

Q: Your restaurants are thousands of miles away from here. What is your connection to Louisiana?

A: I have had a total love affair going on with New Orleans, Louisiana culture and the food going back 30 years. I’ve been a friend of chef John Folse’s for 10 years. We share Christian beliefs and do a lot of charity outreach together. When Katrina hit, he called and I was down there for two weeks doing relief work. I also had a few of John Besh’s displaced employees at my house and working at Tru, one of my restaurants.

Q: What are your diners saying about Gulf seafood?

A: They ask if it’s safe or say they don’t want to eat it, but that’s from lack of knowledge. People only see the daunting images on the news and the bureaucratic in-fighting, or that live, 24/7 feed of gushing oil. I’ve gone down several times. I’ve been on shrimp boats in the Gulf. I’ve done my homework, so I can talk to my customers about what I’ve seen and what I know. I tell them, ‘I’ll eat oysters with you. I would never serve you anything that I wouldn’t eat myself.’

Q: How do you feel about restaurants taking Gulf seafood off of their menu, despite knowing it’s being tested and safe?

A: I think they’re collapsing under the pressure. It tells me they’re not being reassured. Those restaurants are not doing their homework. They’re not having conversations with the fishermen or their vendors. They can’t speak to their customers confidently about it.

Q: Why are you heading to Grand Isle this weekend?

A: To stay educated about the seafood down there so I can explain the situation properly. I want chefs to come see what’s going on so they have the knowledge they need to speak and react intelligently. So they won’t take it off of their menu. In my dreams, I want to see a sea of chefs in white coats down there to show how our culinary ranks are coming together.

Q: Are you surprised by the response you’ve had talking to other chefs?

A: That’s a tough question because I don’t want to offend or be misinterpreted. I am disappointed by the response. I know everybody is busy. You have a life. Restaurants to run, contracts to fulfill, book tours, filming schedules. I get it. I do too.

And, again, I don’t want this to be misinterpreted, but if this was 9/11 in New York, everyone would’ve stopped their lives to help, as I and many others did. I think journalists, bloggers, chefs, people don’t understand what’s happening in the Gulf. It’s out of sight, out of mind.

If a hurricane drags that oil all over Houston and Louisiana, does that make it a worldwide emergency? Because after that, it’s not about rebuilding. It’s toxic. It’s over. And you can’t carve 24 hours out of your schedule to come down? That’s tough to swallow. They think, ‘It doesn’t affect me. I don’t get my stuff from there.’ Or ‘I only get it in certain seasons.’ That’s why I want them down here, seeing it for themselves and getting educated.

Tags: Featured, Louisiana Seafood, Rick Tramonto

Category: Seafood Industry