Started in 2012 in Montauk by fisherman Sean Barrett and chef Dan Barber, Dock to Dish connects fishermen to restaurants, markets and the public through a subscription service. The program has expanded to California, Costa Rica, Canada and the legendary fishing community of Gloucester, Mass. In Los Angeles, it is run out of chef Michael Cimarusti's sustainable seafood shop, Cape Seafood and Provisions, on Fairfax Avenue.
Now the folks at Dock to Dish are developing a sophisticated tracking system that will allow people to monitor the seafood from the point that it’s caught, to shore and through its transportation to the restaurant or market where it's sold. It's a level of transparency that will finally allow consumers to know exactly how — and from where and exactly when — the salmon and scallops and striped bass and rock fish on their plate got there.
"The future of sustainability is traceability," said Cimarusti by phone from Cape Seafood. Cimarusti, who also owns and operates the lauded L.A. seafood restaurants Providence and Connie & Ted's, has long been an advocate for the responsible sourcing of seafood. "You want transparency. The seafood industry is already on the mat. Change starts on a small scale, but all good things do."
