chefs

(Versión en Español más abajo) As part of Future or Fish’s response to COVID-19 in Peru, two things became clear: mobility restrictions were severely hindering logistics, and demand had dropped significantly. In a matter of weeks, COVID-19 had changed the way people access and consume seafood in Peru — a pattern experienced by seafood supply chains globally.

No one person or organization can change a system. Improving seafood sourcing, shifting supply chains, and strengthening small-scale fisheries all require massive and long-term efforts from multiple stakeholders and passionate advocates. Still, every system has intervention points or key levers that can help accelerate change. As we try to build a movement for responsible seafood sourcing in Peru, we’ve identified chefs as powerful levers for driving the movement.

Peruvian cuisine is synonymous with seafood. From ceviche to arroz con mariscos to grilled octopus, seafood is one area where local ingredients—and chefs—truly shine. What may come as a surprise is that despite the deep love of seafood, sustainable and traceable seafood movements are still very nascent in Peru.

Expanding on the launch of our Storied Fish research report, The Untapped Potential of Story to Sell Seafood, we caught up with Sean Barrett, Co-Founder of Dock to Dish to hear how spreading the message of “know your fisherman” has allowed restaurants to market Storied Fish at top prices, and has inspired chefs to demand story with their seafood.