CHEF RICK MOONEN APPOINTED TO MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM’S CULINARY TASK FORCE COMMITTED TO OCEAN-FRIENDLY SEAFOOD FOR THE FUTURE
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® program announced the newest members of its Blue Ribbon Task Force. Las Vegas-based Chef Rick Moonen, Chef/Owner of Rick Moonen’s rm seafood and Rx Boiler Room at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place, was one of twenty leading chefs and culinarians from across the country to be inducted to the panel of respected and influential leaders committed to innovative outreach to promote sustainable seafood in 2014.
“Monterey Bay Aquarium is the ultimate shrine to education on sustainable seafood and I’m excited to be part of the culinary task force,” says Rick Moonen, chef-owner of RM Seafood and Rx Boiler Room. “As an advocate of sustainable seafood, I always tell my employees and guests to follow the Seafood Watch Program which has the best up-to-date breakdown of information. I like seeing that organizations, like Monterey, and others are working together to keep citizens informed of the changing environment around them.”
This year, task force members will help influence the Seafood Watch program and work with the seafood industry, suppliers, restaurants and media to empower responsible choices for the future of seafood. As an entity, the Blue Ribbon Task Force spreads awareness and promotes sustainable practices of seafood distribution and consumption. From working directly with fishing and fish farming industries, to hosting dinners, cooking demonstrations, and participating in public and media appearances, Blue Ribbon Task Force members encourage participation and motivate open dialog with the Seafood Watch program.
“Task force members are thought leaders with the ability to change the way we think and act about food,” said Sheila Bowman, manager of culinary and strategic initiatives for Seafood Watch. “With their insight and influence Seafood Watch can better engage the culinary community, and further inspire consumers and businesses to make informed choices in the seafood they consume and source.”
For more information about Monterrey Bay Aquarium Sea Food Watch and The Blue Ribbon Task Force please visit https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/blue-ribbon-task-force/.
About Chef Rick Moonen Restaurateur, chef and cookbook author, Rick Moonen, has been one of the country’s leading advocates for the sustainable seafood movement throughout his career. His restaurants, Rick Moonen’s rm seafood and Rx Boiler Room at The Shoppes in Mandalay Place , showcase his commitment to sustainability without foregoing culinary creativity and innovation, and have been critically acclaimed by local and national press since day one. His cookbook, Fish Without a Doubt, is a practical, hands-on guide to buying, preparing and cooking a wide array of fish. Rick has been featured in Food & Wine, SAVEUR, Bon Appetit, Food Arts, USA Today, Travel + Leisure, and seen on Food Network’s Best Thing I Ever Ate, Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, TODAY, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Dan Rather Reports, and CNN. In 2010 Rick was the runner-up on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters (season two) raising both national awareness and nearly $28,000 for Three Square Las Vegas. Rick has received numerous awards for his tireless efforts towards sustainability including Chef of the Year by the Monterey Bay Aquarium; and Humanitarian of the Year by the American Culinary Federation. Find him on Twitter @RickMoonen, Facebook.com/ChefRickMoonen, on Instagram @ChefMoonen or www.rickmoonen.com.