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Relais & Châteaux Ocean Warriors
For UN-recognised World Oceans Day, on 8 June, over 200 Relais & Châteaux chefs around the world celebrated marine biodiversity under the theme of #fishunknown, each putting forward their own unique local fish.
In partnership with Ethic Ocean, our mission was to raise awareness about ocean conservation and fish sustainability. It was a chance to discover lesser-known, underutilised and underappreciated fish species, to promote fish diversity in the kitchens of the world to help to protect marine biodiversity by not depleting single fish sources and species.
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Eight of the Relais & Châteaux hotels and lodges in Africa and the Indian Ocean islands aligned in this important cause, creating special #fishunknown menus and sharing the message of the day with guests and the world, including:
- 20 Degres Sud ~ Chef Sanjeev Purahoo: Tellina / E. merra / T. gratilla / Parupeneus spp / C. hippurus
- Zanzibar White Sand Luxury Villas ~ Chef Abdallah Juma: Lutjanus sebae (Emperor red snapper)
- Anjajavy le Lodge ~ Chef Rebassy Cressent: Lutjanus argentimaculatus (Mangrove red snapper)
- Blue Margouillat ~ Chef Marc Chappot: Dissostichus eleginoides (Patagonian toothfish)
- Royal Chundu ~ Chef George Nalisa: Pharyngochromis acuticeps (Zambezi Bream)
- Jabulani ~ Chef Dylan Frost: Choromytilus meridionalis (South African Mussel)
- Ellerman House ~ Chef Grant Daniels: Pachymetopon blochii (Hottentot Seabream)
- North Island ~ Chef Anton Rautenbach: Lutjanus sebae (Emperor red snapper)
Take a look below at a few moments and menus from this year
20 Degres Sud
Clams, red mullet and Mahi-mahi dorado! On the beach in Grand Baie, Mauritius, 20 Degres Sud and Chef Sanjeev Purahoo honoured World Oceans Day with two Fish Unknown menus ~ click on the images below for a closer look…
Zanzibar White Sand Luxury Villas
Zanzibar White Sand Luxury Villas & Spa, on Paje Beach in Zanzibar, celebrated their local red snapper, with a specialised menu by Chef Abdallah Juma. For their exclusive World Oceans Day dinner, the team caught fresh Emperor Red Snapper in the waters beside the hotel, using a traditional dhow for the fishing trip – a precious and useful way to contribute to lowering water pollution. For the evening, Abdallah put together extraordinary no-waste variations of the fish.
Royal Chundu
On the banks of the Zambezi River in Zambia, Royal Chundu, with Head Chef, George Nalisa, celebrated fish diversity by choosing a lesser-known freshwater fish, Zambezi Bream (Pharyngochromis acuticeps) – a fish unique to the Zambezi River.
“We purchase our bream directly from local fishermen, ensuring freshness and thereby supporting and feeding back into our immediate community, while giving a sense of place and a taste of the terroir,” says George.
Jabulani
Chef Dylan Frost at Jabulani in South Africa celebrated with a bush dinner that focused on an entire menu of seafood and vegetarian dishes – starting with the pizza oven, moving on to a braai and smoker main course, and finishing off with a traditional dessert.
Along with their seafood of choice – Cape Mussels and snoek – the menu included: smoked oysters, grilled line fish (the Hottentot fish better known as Kaapse galjoen or black bream).
Ellerman House
For World Oceans Day weekend, Chef Grant Daniels of Ellerman House created a 4-course menu in celebration of sustainable fishing, including a Mosaic of Seafood (Braised Daikon | Compressed Cucumber | Green Onion), Sea Bass Sashimi (Sticky Rice | Furikaki | Dressed Seaweed | Ponzu Snow), Sustainable African Fish (Fish Bourdin Blanc | Pickled Fennel | West Coast Bokkoms | Mielie Pap | Squid Ink Sauce) ~ finished off with a Hazelnut Soufflé (Black Truffle Ice-Cream | Bitter Chocolate Sauce).