The company I work for, headquartered here in Louisville, is involved. "Brown-Forman is participating in this event at lunch in the Caf? and Cafeteria. Southern Comfort is a major sponsor. " Ellen December 1st is "Night out for Gulf Seafood" Chef Mark Williams 11/24/2010 11:12:04 AM As the voice of chefs dedicated to sustainability and local 'foodsheds', Chefs Collaborative wanted you to know about a national chef-led effort in New Orleans showing support for Gulf fishermen and seafood. More than 150 chefs around the country will be cooking and serving Gulf seafood as part of a December 1 national event called "Night out for Gulf Seafood." As many of you know, fishermen harvesting seafood from the Gulf of Mexico have supplied us with a bounty of delicious fresh seafood for generations. Unfortunately, due to the BP oil spill, national perceptions regarding the safety and quality of Gulf seafood have changed - despite ongoing rigorous testing of Gulf seafood by state and federal officials indicating that it is currently safe to eat. Harlon Pearce, chairman of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, recently told the Wall Street Journal that grocery stores and restaurants around the U.S. have canceled orders. Cliff R. Hall, a fish supplier, told the Associated Press that national demand is down 50 to 75 percent. We at Chefs Collaborative remain deeply concerned about the environmental impact of the oil spill upon the Gulf's eco-system and its fisheries, but the unintended consequence of avoiding Gulf seafood is that generations of local fishing experience and expertise could be forced out of business and a centuries-old food tradition could perish. Reviving it will be a Herculean challenge. This will not only be a loss to the Gulf communities, but to the whole country. The "Night Out For Gulf Seafood" is a chef/restaurant statement supporting Gulf Coast fishing families and their seafood catch featuring prominent chefs who will be serving seafood to diners, friends and family. Participating restaurants include Chefs Collaborative members: Border Grill Downtown LA, Vie Restaurant, Susan Feniger's Street, Woodfire Grill, Cochon Restaurant, and Herbsaint. (For a full list of participating restaurants, click here.) Organizers of the event are asking Chefs, restauranteurs and food experts to join their New Orleans colleagues and create a special Gulf seafood menu or highlight Gulf seafood on your current menu. Dine America 2010 will send you materials to use if you like: a template for your menu, an electronic evite for your customers and a poster. Your menu will be posted on [url=http://www.dineamerica2010.com]Dine America 2010 Home Page[/url] and will be linked to [url=http://www.GAYOT.com]Gayot, The Guide to the Good Life: Restaurant Travel Guide Top Restaurants Best Hotels Reviews Lifestyle Spas[/url]. For more info, check out the Dine America 2010 website. To register to participate, click here: [url=http://www.dineamerica2010.com/chefs.htm]Dine America Chef's Sign In Page[/url].
