For Immediate Release
Date: Friday, June 22, 2012
TORONTO'S TOP CULINARY TALENT GET "FISHY"FOR CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD!
Friday, June 22, 2012 Toronto, Ontario: Despite the heavy rain, high spirits prevailed on Thursday, June 21
for the Toronto Zoo's 4th Annual Seafood For Thought TM fundraiser and sustainable seafood event held within the Zoo's Discovery Zone from 6:00pm to 8:30pm.
The over 700 guests savoured delicious sustainable seafood tastings, prepared by some of Toronto's top chefs as well as local cheeses and Ontario wine and beer pairings. This exclusive and elegant annual evening event helps educate guests on how to best make informed menu choices about seafood, while fundraising for key Zoo conservation projects that protect wildlife and wild spaces.
Guests enjoyed mouth-watering tastings prepared by 15 of Toronto's top culinary talents all of whom are
committed to conservation and serve sustainable seafood dishes at their establishments. Featured chefs, who
generously donated their time and staff to support this annual event, included Ted Corrado (Compass Leisure), Trista Sheen (Crush Wine Bar), Dan Sanders (Globe & earth), Albert Ponzo (Le Select Bistro), Jason Bangerter (O&B Canteen and Luma), Derek Bendig (Pangaea), Thomas Heitz (PORT bar-dining room-patio), Tom Filippou (President's Choice® Cooking School), Keith Froggett (Scaramouche), Patrick McMurray (Starfish Oyster Bed & Grill), Scott Riess (The Toronto Golf Club), Morgan Wilson (Trios Bistro), Alida Solomon (Tutti Matti), Giacomo Pasquini (Vertical Restaurant).
In addition, some of Ontario’s foremost wineries and breweries including Archibald's Estate Winery, Casa-Dea Estates Winery, Chateau des Charmes Winery, Pelee Island Winery, Cameron's Brewing, Steam Whistle Brewing, Mill St. Brewery and Molson Coors Brewing Company provided the vintages to compliment the delicious and delicate fare. Generous donations were made by Cheese Boutique, Coca-Cola, Compass Group Canada, HOOKED Inc., Presidential Gourmet Fine Catering and Van Houtte Coffee Services.
The Toronto Zoo was proud to have Samsung & Loblaw Companies Limited as sponsors of this year's Seafood for ThoughtTM event. Samsung generously donated a beautiful Samsung Four Door Refrigerator valued at $3,699.00 that was auctioned off throughout the evening. Along with fresh produce, sustainably sourced fish and seafood are investments more and more Canadians are choosing to make.
Samsung fridges offer innovative solutions to keep fresh food fresher, longer so Canadian families can worry less about food waste and focus instead on healthier eating. Loblaw Companies Limited was the official seafood supplier of Toronto Zoo's Seafood for ThoughtTM donating the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified sustainable seafood prepared by chefs, which is available in its stores. Loblaw made a commitment that all seafood sold in their stores nationally will come from sustainable sources by year-end 2013. As the largest buyer and seller of seafood in Canada, this undertaking is significant – as it includes all canned, frozen, fresh, wild and farmed seafood products, in all categories, all bands and even products where seafood is a secondary ingredient.
As a leader of conservation, the Toronto Zoo, Canada's premier Zoo, is committed to helping spread the
message on what is needed to help preserve our world. Seafood for ThoughtTM is one example of our
commitment to sustainability. Almost 75% of the world's fisheries are fished to capacity, or overfished.
There's a limit to the bounty…fishes are the last animals that we hunt on a large scale. For many fish stocks in the oceans, rivers or lakes we are close to overfishing and are having to close the fisheries or watch species move to extinction. The Toronto Zoo works hard to raise awareness about the importance of buying sustainable fish and seafood products to ensure a future with an abundant and healthy aquatic ecosystem.
Sustainable sources are those that can exist over the long-term without compromising species survival or the health of the surrounding ecosystem. Seafood Watch (Monterey Bay Aquarium), Ocean Wise (Vancouver Aquarium) and the Maine Stewardship Council are programs supported by the Toronto Zoo to support this goal and to educate the public about smart (and delicious!) food choices. Visit torontozoo.com to download your own Seafood Watch sustainable seafood guide outlining 'best, good and avoid options. You may also contact seafoodwatch.com, oceanwise.com or oceansfortomorrow.ca to learn more about sustainable seafood.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amanda Chambers, Temporary Supervisor of Public Relations at (416) 392-5941
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Toronto Zoo is accredited by CAZA (Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums). Look for this logo
whenever you visit a Canadian zoo as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to
providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. For
more information, visit www.caza.ca. Current Zoo Hours: 9:30am to 6:30pm. Last admission is one hour
before closing. General Admission 13-64 incl. is $25.00. Children 3 and under are free, Children 4-12 are
$14.00 and Seniors 65+ are $20.00. Parking fees apply. Prices include applicable taxes and are subject to
change without notice. Events are subject to change without notice. The Zoo is located at Meadowvale Road and Hwy. 401, Exit 389 east and west bound. For general information, call (416) 392-5929. The Toronto Zoo is open year round (except December 25th).
torontozoo.com
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