Sustainable Seafood With Chef Lino Sauro of Gattopardo
by Darinee Durai
@ 11 Nov 2017
In the light of recent years, awareness of the effects of pesticides sprayed on vegetables on the human body has made an expensive label of the term ‘organic’. The same is probably thought of the term ‘sustainable’ when applied on seafood. While that might be necessarily true depending on the area you live in, isn’t a higher price tag worth the cost of reducing the negative impact left on our oceans? Do farmed or wild caught fish really taste significantly different? Why are some chefs using sustainable seafood and some not? Is it a conscious decision or can we chalk it up to a lack of awareness or is it a matter of customer preference? Which species are on the verge of extinction and what are the harmful fishing methods that disrupt the seabed? Let's hear from Chef Lino Sauro!
DD: What are your considerations when purchasing seafood?
LS: My top concerns are definitely what’s in season and on the market at the moment, the price of the products, where my seafood comes from, and market demands.
DD: What is your understanding of sustainable seafood and its importance?
LS: If we don’t ensure that our seafood comes from a sustainable and ecological source, it’ll cause irreparable damage to our environment and so to me that’s a topic that I do not take lightly. I would not like to be guilty of damaging our environment.
DD:How would it affect your customer demographic if you used unsustainable or sustainable seafood?
LS: I’m not too sure about that, but personally I feel that people in Singapore are willing to spend more on products they deem as high quality and they’re not too particular on the source of their seafood, and whether it is sustainable or not.
Image: Capesante Barley, Hokkaido Scallops with Hazelnut Sauce and Orange
DD: What is the availability of sustainable seafood in your location?
At Gattopardo, we strive for 100% sustainably sourced seafood in our menus.
DD: What factors would make you consider integrating sustainable seafood into your menu?
LS: To me, it’s not about integrating sustainable seafood into the menu, but about making the menu completely about sustainable seafood and ingredients.
DD: How much do wild caught and farmed seafood differ in taste and texture?
LS: It’s not easy to say nowadays with modern farming methods and very often we have to rely on sustainably farmed seafood.
Image: Sustainable Yellowfin Tuna Steak
DD: Would you say that the reason certain chefs don’t use sustainable seafood is because of the lack of awareness or is it a conscious decision brought upon by customer preference?
LS: I feel the reason is that some chefs lack the knowledge about sustainable seafood, also coupled with a reluctance in going to educate themselves, and also having preconceived notions which affects their decisions.
DD: Should chefs take a stand and educate their customers?
LS: Definitely. Not just the chefs, but also the restaurant managers have a part to play.
DD:If a customer requests to be served an endangered species, will you as a chef still provide it?
LS: No, regardless of what the customer is willing to pay. That would go against my principles.
Image: Grilled Kühlbarra Barramundi Filet on Sicilian Caponata and Pistachio Sauce
DD: Who influences your decision to purchase sustainable seafood, your customers or your suppliers?
LS: Suppliers.
DD: Which is more important, the taste or the sustainability of the seafood?
LS: I believe we should look at the taste of the sustainable seafood.
Get a taste of delicious Sicilian seafood and be assured of their quality and sustainability over at Gattopardo.
Make a booking here at:
reservations@gattopardo.com.sg or call (65) 6338 5498 / (65) 9325 8843.
