Chef

For chef Pamela Burns at The Wild Plum in Monterey “fish of the day” means just that: fresh, local fish recently brought to the dock by someone who lives along the same shore as she. It’s not a placeholder for fish long forgotten in the freezer with a source obscured by time and middlemen.

Fisherman

There are few people who are as excited to get up in the morning and go to work as David Toriumi, 36, a Watsonville native who fishes out of Santa Cruz. Toriumi made his passion a profession and still hasn’t lost his youthful enthusiasm for the sea in doing so.

Executive Chef

David opened Geisha Japanese Restaurant and Tea House in Capitola in 2011 – it was the first sustainable sushi restaurant in the county, and is still one of the few in the nation. He partnered with the non-profit FishWise which helped him craft a statement about sustainable seafood for his restaurant. The restaurant in and of itself is a manifestation of his passion for Japanese folk medicine, culture, and cuisine.

Fisherman & Fishmonger

Brendan Pini is co-founder of Fished and Foraged, a Santa Cruz based company that provides fish from the Monterey Bay and mushrooms from the Santa Cruz mountains to local restaurants and markets.

Deckhand

Lorenzo grew up in Watsonville, but much of his education took place in Moss Landing and on the Monterey Bay. Starting at about the age of five, his father took him to the jetty and beach to fish, and then out on a motorboat to where they spent weekends baiting hooks and casting.

Restaurant Owner, Chef

Cindy and Ted Walter are co-owners of Passionfish Restaurant in Pacific Grove...They are spokespeople and educators when it comes to sourcing food responsibly- particularly when it comes to seafood and the ocean.  

Wholesale Fish Buyer & Seller

Roger Whitney has been part of the Monterey Bay fishing community since he was a child. He grew up fishing for albacore, salmon and smelt in the Monterey Bay with his father.

Community Supported Fishery (CSF), Fishermen

Having met each other in school, Ian Cole and Charlie Lambert began exploring their passion to make fresh, local seafood accessible to their communities. The goal of Ocean2Table is to deliver fresh fish (within one day of being caught), while also educating the consumer about where their fish is coming from.

Fisherman

Born into a fishing family, Jerid grew up on the ocean. Starting at the age of five, he spent his childhood fishing with his dad on albacore boats.

Fisherman & Fishmonger

Calder Deyerle fishes for Dungeness crab, King salmon, California halibut, black cod and rockfish on the Monterey Bay. He grew up crewing for his father Richard and uncle Daniel Deyerle, owners of Sea Harvest restaurants and a wholesale seafood business by the same name.

Jane DeLay has always been motivated by her love for the ocean. In 2001, she coordinated the "Fisherman's Forum on Marine Protected Areas",  a three-day conference to explore options for establishing MPA's on the central coast.

Matthew Beaudin spent years honing his palate by working around the world. From Hong Kong to Rwanda, the West Indies and Cincinnati, he plied his trade and learned local spices and traditions. He’s found a home at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and doesn’t plan on leaving any time soon.

Steve was the harbormaster in Monterey for 22 years before retiring in in February 2017. Prior to this, he was the harbormaster in Santa Cruz, where he first got to know commercial fishermen and learn about what they needed in a working harbor.

Guiseppe “Joe” Pennisi is a third generation Monterey fisherman. He began fishing at age 7, deckhanding on weekends and during summer vacation.