SENA19: An Overview of the Seafood Expo

Once again, I had a fun, delicious and informative trip to the 2019 Seafood Expo North America (SENA). As usual, I immersed myself within the international seafood industry, enjoying plenty of seafood samples, seeking out interesting stories, chatting with numerous people and taking photos of fish heads. I'll be writing a number of stories about my experiences, discussing some of my favorite food finds, talking about an intriguing new species coming to market, delving into how to increase consumer consumption of seafood, and more.

SENA is the largest seafood trade event in North America, and in prior years it constantly broke records on both its exhibitor size and attendance. For example, in 2017, over 1327 companies, representing 51 different countries, exhibited at the Expo while in 2018, those number rose to 1341 exhibitors from 57 countries. In addition, the total exhibit space grew from approximately 253,000 square feet in 2017 to about 258,630 square feet in 2018. This year was a bit odd as though the number of exhibitors rose to 1349, the number of participating countries dropped to 49, and the total exhibit space also decreased, down to 256,690. We will have to see if this was a temporary blip or a trend in the future.

The main events of the Seafood Expo occur each year over the course of three days, from Sunday to Tuesday, over a total period of 19 hours. However, there are a few other events that occur before and after the normal hours of the Expo, such as receptions and coffee hours. This year, the program included about 30 conference sessions, the 13th annual Oyster Shucking Competition, the Seafood Excellence Awards, and more. Something for everyone. You certainly can't attend every SENA event, so you need to pick and choose which you most desire to attend, which events fit your specific interests.

This year, there were over 20,000 attendees, from all over the world, making the Expo a truly international event. It is an excellent example of the interconnectedness of our world, of how we are really one vast community with shared interests. When you consider the oceans occupy about 71% of the world's surface, it's easy to understand how it unites us. Plus, we have to consider all the freshwater rivers, lakes, and waterways which produce seafood. Sunday is the busiest day at the Expo, and it can get a little crowded walking around, especially when people sometimes stop in the middle of the aisle to chat with others. As an aside, walking up and down the 30+ aisles at the Expo  isa great cardio exercise.

SENA is my favorite food event each year, one which I have promoted and recommended year after year. Besides all the delectable seafood samples, you'll also find ample fodder for many different story ideas. SENA touches on some of the most important issues facing our world, from sustainability to climate change. Every local writer who has any interest in seafood, sustainability, health, recipes, or food in general, should attend this Expo. However, few local writers attend SENA and those who do commonly write only a single article or two about it. These articles are often very basic, touching only on some of the most general issues about the Expo.

Even the major local newspapers generally publish only one article, often a basic overview lacking any depth. This year, it seems that the Boston Herald didn't publish any articles about the Expo, and the Boston Globe posted only a single article, concentrating on a specific exhibitor. This all needs to change! We need more local writers to attend SENA and delve more deeply into the myriad issues of the seafood industry. We need more local writers to help promote seafood consumption and sustainability. We need more local writers to contribute to the discussion of these vital issues. We need the print media to get more involved too. The more positive articles about seafood, the better for all of us.

It should be obvious that the primary element of SENA is commerce, the buying and selling of seafood-related products and services. Nearly all of the exhibitors are there to make money while most of the attendees are there to spend money. Attendees are seeking seafood, both fresh and frozen, as well as various processed seafood products, from crab cakes to salmon bacon. Others are there to buy processing equipment, cooking supplies, packaging machinery, labeling equipment, conveyors, and much more. Still others are seeking services, from food safety to third party certification. Some of this commerce is international, with exhibitors and attendees from all over the world, trying to make deals. It's business and money.

What may not seem obvious is that SENA is not really about seafood. It's not??? Despite the many thousand pounds of seafood being showcased at the Expo, it is merely a means to an end. SENA is actually about people and community. Seafood is only food, intended to provide sustenance and nutrition to people, and that is understood, though largely unspoken, by the exhibitors and attendees. SENA is much more about fishermen and fish farmers, distributors and retailers, inventors and importers. It is about all of the people involved in the seafood industry, and their economic well being. It is about the global economy as the seafood industry is truly international and affects people all across the world.

Concerns about seafood sustainability ultimately come down to the fate of people, whether future generations will have enough food to survive, and whether they will live in a clean world, with adequate resources. The fate of the oceans and the fish directly relates to the fate of mankind. Seafood sustainability is also about the survival of fishermen, that they can make a sufficient income to survive and thrive. When you understand that SENA is all about people, then the issues take on an even greater significance. We need to talk about this more, to ensure that everyone understands people are the primary concern. It is our future and nothing is more important than that.

Although SENA involves many serious and vital issues, it also has an element of fun, as well as plenty of tasty seafood samples. SENA is a showcase for new seafood products as well as place to display other seafood products which may have a storied history, such as Maine Lobster. Though it is common to find for sampling a variety of simple, fried seafoods, there are also some chefs who elevate their offerings, providing more interesting and delicious dishes, from Lobster Arancini to Miso Geoduck Chowder. Over the course of a single day at SENA, you can enjoy plenty of seafood, from oysters to salmon, and you can repeat that for three days if you so desire.

I'll be posting additional articles about SENA in the near future, highlighting some of items which especially caught my attention this year. Plus, I want to highlight that SENA returns next year, March 15-17, 2020, and I strongly encourage all local writers to mark those dates down on their calendar and plan to attend next year. As I've mentioned before in other articles, there are about 4 times as many negative seafood articles in the media than positive ones. The seafood industry needs more champions to promote its many positive aspects and I call on local writers to step up and become one of those needed champions.

“Wherever the fish are, that's where we go.”
--Richard Wagner

SENA18: The Seafood Expo (Part 3)

What were some of the most interesting seafood products that I found at the 2018 Seafood Expo North America (SENA)?

I previously wrote about some of the most interesting seafood products I found at SENA and I'm back to describe more impressive foods, as well as highlighting a few of the chefs who were preparing delicious seafood dishes.

The Boston Smoked Fish Co. may be the only smoked seafood company in the Boston area. The founders, Chris Avery and Matt Baumann, began in 2013 by experimenting with a home smoker and a myriad of varied brine recipes, different fish and various hardwoods. They now use local seafood, various herbs and spices, and then smoke it in small batches. You can find their products at the Boston Public Market and assorted local grocery stores. I tasted several of their different products and all of them were delicious and flavorful, highly recommended.

Some of the products you'll find include: Simply Smoked Salmon (Norwegian Atlantic Salmon) for $8.99/4 oz, Smoked Wild Haddock (line caught haddock from Georges Bank) for $8.99/4 oz, Smoked Salmon Pate for $8.99/6 oz, Smoked Salmon Bacon for $8.99/3 oz, and Smoked Bluefish Pate (Cape Cod bluefish smoked over hickory hardwood) for $8.99/6 oz.

There were samples of their Smoked Salmon Bacon and it was a rich and smoky treat. They use salmon belly for the bacon as the belly is thinner, with more fat, and takes to the smoking better. I could have easily consumed all of these compelling samples, loving the bacony salmon taste.

Simple and tasty smoked salmon.

Both the Smoked Bluefish and Salmon Pates were delicious, presenting a creamy and complex taste, with a smoky kick as well as the richness of the seafood and nicely balanced spices. These would create impressive appetizers for a party, or just for a dinner for two.

Seek out Boston Smoked Fish Co. for their locally sourced seafood products!

At the Japanese Pavilion, I stopped at the Banjo Foods booth, drawn to the large advertisement for "Sweet Miso Wasabi." The company was established in 1952, in the prefecture of Shizuoka, and produced wasabi powder. Over time, they have expanded their production to include wasabi paste, ginger paste, eel sauce, salad dressings and more. Wasabi remains a dominant ingredient in most of their products. Wasabi and horseradish are both plants of the Brassicaceae family though much of the "wasabi" you see at local Asian restaurants is primarily horseradish, with little, if any, actual wasabi. You'll usually see actual wasabi grated, with sharkskin, tableside atop your sushi or other dish.

The Sweet Miso Wasabi is a sauce/condiment created by a blend of coarsely grated wasabi (from the stem) sourced from Shizuoka, horse radish and Shinshu (yellow) miso. It is gluten free, and doesn't contain any MSG or artificial colorings. I very much enjoyed enjoyed its rich and complex flavors, the intriguing blend of spicy heat, sweetness, and saltiness. This is a versatile item, which can be used as a condiment atop sushi, or as a dip, sauce, or spread. This could be used with many type of protein, from seafood to beef, chicken to pork. I have some of the Sweet Miso Wasabi and look forward to experimenting with it. Highly recommended!

Basically every bit of the wasabi plant is edible and Banjo Foods also makes a Chopped Wasabi Stalk, another type of sauce/condiment which is made from 100% wasabi stalks from the Shizuoka prefecture. It has a predominantly spicy taste with herbal accents, a pleasant complexity. It too is versatile and they even recommend mixing it with cream cheese or mayo.

Besides the various seafood products at SENA, there were numerous other booths showcasing other elements of the seafood industry. The City of Gloucester has had a booth at numerous Seafood Expos, showcasing the famed fishing community, local seafood, and sustainability. This year, their booth also created a Monkfish Stew for sampling.

To promote their community, they created an initiative, Gloucester Fresh, noting that: "Gloucester is a fishing town with both triumph and loss. Seafaring and fishing have always been, and will continue to be, a very dangerous undertaking. Gloucester, Massachusetts has lost more than 10,000 fishermen to the sea since its founding almost 400 years ago." I've long advocated that Americans should eat more local seafood and Gloucester is certainly an excellent source for such fish.

Gloucester Fresh has long tried to promote using more seafood species than just the usual suspects. This year, they chose the Monkfish, which some think is one of the ugliest fish in the sea, with its big head, beady little eyes, and huge mouth filled with lots of sharp teeth. The North Atlantic is one of the main regions where monkfish are harvested. Looking past its appearance, the Monkfish has delicious meat, with some calling it a "poorman's lobster." Commonly, the tail meat is used, a lean, mild-tasting white meat, though the cheeks and liver are eaten as well. The tail meat doesn't flake like a cod, but is more firm like a scallop or lobster. It is sustainably harvested and can be bought relatively inexpensively.

Cooks acquired from Snapchef, a large culinary training and staffing company located in New England, created the Monkfish Stew.

The stew was made from chunks of monkfish, onions, celery, carrots, tomato sauce, oil, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh parsley, which was poured over white rice. With a spicy kick, the stew was tasty, with plenty of tender, and slightly sweet, pieces of monkfish. It is the type of stew that any seafood lover would enjoy, and which would also convince people that monkfish is a delicious seafood that they should be eating.

There was a celebrity chef at SENA too, Robyn Almovodar, who has been a contestant on two seasons of Hell's Kitchen, as well as episodes of Chopped and Cutthroat Kitchen (winning both episodes). I got to taste a couple dishes she prepared, including a Spicy Tuna Poke and a Seared Tuna with Ponzu Sauce, and I was impressed with the blend of flavors in each dish.

SENA18: The Seafood Expo (Part 2)

What were some of the most interesting seafood products that I found at the 2018 Seafood Expo North America (SENA)?

Each year, the seafood industry presents a myriad of new products at SENA, some which end up in the New Product Showcase, hoping to win a Seafood Excellence Award. Only two such Awards are selected, the Best New Retail Product and Best New Foodservice Product. Other exhibitors simply present their new products at their booth, often providing samples intended to entice people to purchase their new item. Each year, as I wander up and down the aisles of the Expo, I seek out intriguing new products, hoping to find something fascinating and delicious. This year, I found several items which stirred my interest.

The first item was the winner of the 2018 Seafood Excellence Award for "Best New Foodservices Product." Thai Union, through its Chicken of the Sea brand, has created Yellowfin Tuna Slices, essentially deli slices of tuna. What a cool idea! It is now even easier to make a tuna sandwich, simply piling on slices on your bread rather than the broken pieces you remove from a can and need mayo to keep together. Sliced tuna is also very versatile and you can check out numerous recipes here. I was curious though as to how these tuna slices were produced, and whether they contained any fillers or additives.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that these slices are essentially tuna and seasonings. They begin the process with a whole loin of yellowfin tuna, sustainable, and mostly sourced from the western Pacific Ocean. Currently, they are seeking certification through Marine Stewardship Council. The loin is placed into a plastic bag with seasonings and then undergoes a high pressurization process which will form the loin into the requisite form and texture. This process also heats and cooks the tuna, as well as forcing the seasonings to flavor the entire loin.

Once completed, the tuna is then sliced into approximately one ounce pieces, currently sold in two pound, vacuum sealed packages (about $16) to commercial businesses like restaurants. The tuna slices are available in two flavors, Black Pepper and Cajun, though they have the capability to produce almost any flavor. I had the opportunity to taste both flavors and I was impressed with the tuna's texture and flavor, especially enjoying the spicy heat from the Cajun style. It tasted like tuna and I love the ease of use, how it can so simply used on a sandwich, in a wrap, atop a salad, etc.

I believe these tuna slices could get more people to eat seafood, as it avoids one of the main complaints about seafood, that it is too difficult to cook. With these slices, it is as easy to use as sliced roast beef, turkey or bologna. And the fact that it is basically tuna and seasonings should appeal to people seeking healthier alternatives. Plus, it provides the benefits of Omega-3s, which can significantly reduce the chance of heart diseases. Maybe we can look forward to other sliced fish in the future. The deli counter has taken a step toward the future.

The next item is related to tuna, though it actually doesn't contain any tuna at all. Ocean Hugger Foods, Inc. was founded by Master Chef James Corwell, a native of Atlanta. Chef Corwell was concerned about the state of bluefin tuna, understanding the precarious status of the species. He decided to create an alternative to tuna, something which would help protect and conserve the oceans.     His first creation is Ahimi, a plant-based alternative to raw tuna, which can be used in sushi, ceviche, tartare and more.

Ahimi is made from five ingredients, including fresh tomatoes, soy sauce, filtered water, sugar, and sesame oil. For those with allergies, please note that Ahimi contains soy, wheat, gluten, and sesame. You should use Ahimi whenever you might use raw fish, and they highly recommend that you do not cook the Ahimi. It last be stored frozen for up to two years, and will last, once opened, for about four weeks in the refrigerator. At the Expo, they were preparing Ahimi Nigiri, which involves slicing strips from a large piece of the Ahimi, placing the strip atop a piece of rice, and then wrapping nori around both.

At a quick look, they resemble tuna nigiri but if you look closer, the color won't seem to be the same. When I bit into a piece of the Ahimi, it had a tougher texture than tuna, not the silky fish you might be used to. Eating a piece of the Ahimi and rice, you likely won't believe it is tuna either. However, it still possesses a pleasant taste and would please someone seeking a vegetarian alternative to tuna. If you love tuna, the Ahimi isn't going to replace that taste, but it is definitely a way to help preserve the endangered bluefin. I might like the Ahimi even more if it were in a ceviche or poke.

Ocean Hugger Foods is working on additional products, including Sakimi, a carrot-based salmon alternative, and Unami, an eggplant-based eel alternative.

More vegetarian options were offered by Barnacle Coast to Kitchen, an Alaskan company that uses seaweed to create a variety of products. The founders, Matt Kern and Lia Heifetz, are natives of Southeast Alaska and would fish and forage bull kelp, preserving the seaweed by pickling it and making salsa. Eventually, they decided to make a business out of their activities, remaining in their local community and using the sustainable kelp, which they harvest from the Alaskan wasters.

Their website describes the kelp, stating: "It’s snappy, salty and savory, with a crisp bite. Bull kelp grows annually, from spore to mature plant in a single year. As it grows, it attaches to the ocean floor via a “holdfast”—a root-like growth that clings to rocks or other anchorages. From there, the stalk can grow up to 80 feet, with a floating bulb at the surface. Bull kelp forests create vital habitat for fish, sea urchins and starfish. Sea otters often wrap kelp strands around their bodies to secure them during rough weather."

Check out the Seafood Source for a recent article on the rise in popularity of seaweed. At prior Seafood Expos, I've tasted a few different products made from seaweed and have enjoyed them, so I was intrigued to check out Barnacle's products. Unfortunately, only the Campfire Kelp Salsa seemed to be available to taste.

There are three varieties of their Kelp Salsa, the Original, Campfire, and Sea Verde. The addition of the Kelp is supposed to boost the flavor and richness of the salsa, as well as add a nutritious and sustainable ingredient. A 10 ounce jar costs approximately $7.95 and each salsa contains about 50% Kelp. Their Campfire Kelp Salsa won the Juneau People's Choice award of the Alaska Symphony of Seafood. Its ingredients include Alaskan Kelp, tomatoes, onion, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, beets, tomato paste, cilantro, honey, and spices.

I was impressed with the Campfire, finding it to be delicious, spicy and smoky, with rich tomato and prominent garlic flavors. It was savory, with an intriguing umami element, and you wouldn't have known it contained kelp unless someone told you. It was excellent atop a tortilla chip and I could easily see it used in anyway you might use a regular salsa. And it is more nutritious than many other jarred salsas. This earns my hearty recommendation.

Barnacle's other products include Kelp Pickles and Kelp Blends. The Kelp Pickles, available in Dill and Curry, are thinly sliced, seasoned bull kelp rings, which can be used on sandwiches, as a cocktail garnish, or simply on their own. The Kelp Blends, available in Galley Mix and Ocean Gold, consist of dried kelp that is blended with ingredients such as toasted sesame seeds, bonito flakes and nutritional yeast. They can be used to flavor almost any type of dish.

To Be Continued...

SENA18: The Seafood Expo (Part 1)

"So long, and thanks for all the fish."
--Douglas Adams

I'm certainly thankful for all the seafood I tasted at the recent 2018 Seafood Expo North America (SENA). This was a tough year for SENA as a major snowstorm struck on their third day, significantly decreasing the number of attendees on that day as well as stranding some exhibitors and attendees in Boston for an extra day or two. In addition, I was unable to attend the first day of SENA, due to another commitment, so I only got to attend the Expo for one day. During that day, I immersed myself within the seafood industry, enjoying plenty of seafood samples and seeking out interesting stories.  

SENA is the largest seafood trade event in North America, continuing to grow each year, constantly breaking records on its size and attendance. Last year, over 1327 companies, representing 51 different countries, exhibited at the Expo and this year, that number rose to 1341 exhibitors, from 57 countries, including new ones such as Fiji, Oman, Ukraine and Venezuela. The total exhibit space grew from approximately 253,000 square feet to about 258,630 square feet. Walking down the 30+ aisles of the Expo makes for great cardio exercise and with the vast number of exhibitors, you're sure to find plenty of fascinating stories.

The basic Expo events occur each year from Sunday to Tuesday, over the course of 19 hours. This year, the program included over 30 conferences sessions, the 12th annual Oyster Shucking Competition, a Master Class on Oysters, a Maine Lobster cooking demo, and more. Something for everyone. You certainly can't attend every SENA event, so you need to pick and choose which you most desire to attend. This year, there were also over 20,000 attendees, from all over the world, making the Expo a truly international event.

SENA is my favorite food event each year, one which I have promoted and recommended year after year. Besides all the seafood samples, you'll also find ample fodder for many different story ideas. As an example, I've previously written as many as 22 articles based on stories I acquired from a single Seafood Expo. SENA touches on some of the most important issues facing our world. Every local writer who has any interest in seafood, sustainability, health, or food in general, should attend this Expo.

However, it seems few local writers actually go to SENA and those who do commonly write only a single article or two about it. These articles are often very basic, touching only on some of the most general issues about the Expo. Even the major local newspapers generally publish only one article, often a basic overview lacking any depth. That needs to change! We need more local writers to attend SENA and delve more deeply into the myriad issues of the seafood industry. We need more local writers to help promote seafood consumption and sustainability. We need more local writers to contribute to the discussion of these vital issues.  

It is obvious that a primary element of SENA is commerce, the buying and selling of seafood-related products and services. Nearly all of the exhibitors are there to make money while most of the attendees are there to spend money. Attendees are seeking seafood, both fresh and frozen, as well as various processed seafood products, from crab cakes to salmon bacon. Others are there to buy processing equipment, cooking supplies, packaging machinery, labeling equipment, conveyors, and much more. Still others are seeking services, from food safety to third party certification. Some of this commerce is international, with exhibitors and attendees from all over the world, trying to make deals.

What may not seem obvious is that SENA is not really about seafood. It's not??? Despite the many thousand pounds of seafood being showcased at the Expo, it is all merely a means to an end. SENA is actually about people and community. Seafood is only food, intended to provide sustenance and nutrition to people, and that is understood, though largely unspoken, by the exhibitors and attendees. SENA is much more about fishermen and fish farmers, distributors and retailers, inventors and importers. It is about all of the people involved in the seafood industry, and their economic well being. It is about the global economy as the seafood industry is truly international and affects people all across the world.

Concerns about seafood sustainability ultimately come down to the fate of people, whether future generations will have enough food to survive, and whether they will live in a clean world, with adequate resources. The fate of the oceans and the fish directly relates to the fate of mankind. When you understand that SENA is all about people, then the issues take on an even greater significance. We need to talk about this more, to ensure that everyone understands people are the primary concern. It is our future and nothing is more important than that.

Although SENA involves many serious and vital issues, it also has an element of fun, as well as plenty of tasty seafood samples. SENA is a showcase for new seafood products as well as place to display other seafood products which may have a storied history, such as Maine Lobster. Though it is common to find for sampling a variety of simple, fried seafoods, there are also some chefs who elevate their offerings, providing more interesting and delicious dishes, from Monkfish Stew to Salmon Meatballs. Over the course of a day at SENA, you can enjoy plenty of seafood, from oysters to uni, and you can repeat that for three days if you so desire.

I'll be posting additional articles about SENA in the near future, highlighting some of items which especially caught my attention this year. Plus, I want to highlight that SENA returns next year, March 17-19, 2019, and I strongly encourage all local writers to mark those dates down on their calendar and plan to attend next year. As I've mentioned before in other articles, there are about 4 times as many negative seafood articles in the media than positive ones. The seafood industry needs more champions to promote its many positive aspects and I call on local writers to step up and become one of those needed champions.

"We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came."
--John F. Kennedy

Sake Consumption & Export News

Wine consumption in Japan has risen an average of 4.5% each year for the past six years, and women have been a significant factor in this consumption increase. Recently, Bloomberg published an article, Working Women In Japan Are drinking More Wine Than Ever, which detailed this situation. Euromonitor International, which considered Sake to be wine, noted that Sake is the most dominant "wine" in Japan, occupying about 61% of the market, though also noting that sales volumes have remained stagnant since 2011. Sake consumption apparently isn't increasing within Japan.

Since 2006, consumption of wine, other than Sake, has increased by about 50%, although it still remains relatively low, at only about 2.4 liters per-capita a year, the equivalent of about 3.25 bottles. As for which wines are consumed, Still Red Wine dominates at 19.7% with Still White Wine taking second place at 10.4%. The other types include Sparkling Wine at 3.9%, Still Rosé at 3.4%, and Other at 1.9%.

The article notes that increased wine consumption is especially due to "women in their 40s and 50s, who have helped boost wine consumption to a new record every year since 2012." Chilean wine has also become the best selling wine in Japan, ousting France for that honor. In 2015, Japan imported about 75 million liters of Chilean wine as compared to 58 million liters of French wine, There is plenty of room for growth in wine consumption in Japan but it seems like it will hurt the local Sake industry.

Fortunately, Sake exports continue to rise, at records levels. The Nikkei Asian Review, in an article "Japanese Sake Exports On the Rise," note that in 2016, Sake exports rose 10%, to about $137 Million, and this was the seventh consecutive year of record increases. Part of that increase is alleged to be due to a greater popularity of Japanese cuisine. These figures don't include the amount of Sake purchased by tourists, which could be significant. The increase in exports have also seen an increase in Sake rice harvests.

These statistics received some confirmation from Forbes, in its article U.S. Sake Sales Soar As Brewers Around The World Defy Ancient Japanese Traditions. The article notes that U.S. Sake sales have grown about 8% annually for over 20 years, though it wasn't until around 2000 that major U.S. cities started importing significant amounts of high quality Sake. Currently, about 89% of the Sake imported into the U.S. is premium Sake, and not futsu-shu.

This article also notes the increase in the U.S. of Sake breweries, such as the Texas Sake Co., which are trying to convince consumers to drink more Sake. Japanese Sake breweries are also trying to find ways to better market themselves to Americans, some trying to create nontraditional Sake, such as flavored Sakes, which might appeal more to Americans unfamiliar with Sake. There is also brief discussion of sweet and sparkling Sake being a gateway to higher quality Sake. I've long said that Sparkling Sake, which often is lightly sweet, fruity and effervescent, can be a good way to break down stereotypes about Sake and introduce newcomers to its diverse potential.

All of this news is positive for the Sake industry but there is still much more room for growth. We need more education about Sake, as well as more marketing efforts to show American consumers the diversity of Sake. We also need to show people that Sake is not just for Japanese cuisine but pairs well with all types of cuisines, from Italian to French, from burgers to pizza. Sake is a fascinating alcohol, with a great history, and more Americans need to experience it. Please make a resolution to try some Sake this Spring.

NECAT's Annual Fundraiser: Olives Pop-Up

Last December, I was strongly touched by my visit to the New England Center for Arts & Technology (NECAT) and wrote an article, NECAT: A Culinary School Worthy Of Special Attention. I previously wrote: "For my other readers, I encourage you to learn more about NECAT and give them your support. Take a tour of the facility, have lunch there, or attend a future event. If you can donate money to NECAT, please do so. And importantly, help spread the word about NECAT. It needs to be much better known and strongly depends on word of mouth to do so. If you know anyone who would benefit from attending NECAT's culinary program, please tell them about the opportunities."

Continuing my support of NECAT, and trying to raise more awareness of this fulfilling program, I wanted to alert my readers about the upcoming annual fundraiser to benefit NECAT. On April 22, from 6pm–10pm, NECAT will host an Olives Pop-Up. I was at their last fundraiser and it was an excellent event, with plenty of delicious food.

Their description of this event notes: "When Olives opened its doors in 1989, the restaurant started a culinary revolution in Boston and launched the careers of countless executive chefs and restaurant owners. The Olives alumni have maintained a close bond over the years, and encouraged the careers of the next generation of cooks.

"Olives Chef de Cuisine Paul O’Connell (former chef/owner Chez Henri in Cambridge) continues to embody the passion and spirit of such collaboration as the Culinary Training Director at the New England Center for Arts and Technology (NECAT). NECAT ‘s innovative culinary arts and job readiness training program has moved many participants from the margins of society into the mainstream. In the same way that Olive’s transformed Boston’s food scene, NECAT is transforming lives.

"Join us at NECAT where Olives is popping up with the original crew to reunite and to recreate the signature dishes and drinks that became the hallmark of the original Charlestown eatery. The Pop Up Benefit will feature an elegant cocktail reception followed by a multi-course dinner inspired by their original menu. This exclusive and unique reunion of chefs promises to deliver Olives most memorable dishes in an interactive dining experience, one that promises to feed your appetite and help fund NECAT’s mission of preparing disadvantaged individuals for work, life and a promising future."

The Event Co-chairs will be Olivia English & Oliver English. There will be Food Presentation by Chefs including Todd English, Paul Booras, Joe Brenner, Tiffani Faison, Barbara Lynch, Paul O’Connell and other special guests

Tickets are limited, cost $250 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

You can also contact Joey Cuzzi (at jcuzzi@ne-cat.org or 617-429-2625) for sponsorship opportunities.

NECAT: A Culinary School Worthy Of Special Attention

This week, a unique culinary school in Boston, the New England Center for Arts & Technology (NECAT), will graduate another class of new cooks and those graduates will likely end up at a number of local restaurants and kitchens. Unfortunately, you probably know nothing about this culinary school and that really needs to change.

I didn't know anything about this culinary school until recently and after learning about it, I strongly believe that it needs much more attention. It is providing a great service to the community and needs our support in a number of ways. Local restaurants and other commercial kitchens should also learn about this school, to realize that it can be a valuable source for much needed kitchen staff.

The Boston area has a shortage of culinary help and this school is helping to fill that need but it also is helping their students forge a new future, providing them an opportunity for a fulfilling and rewarding career. This is especially important as some of these students are ex-convicts while others are recovering addicts. Some are high-school dropouts while others are unemployed or chronically underemployed.

NECAT is helping to show their students that they don't need to be defined by their past, that they can move forward despite what they might have once done. They are helped to believe in themselves so that they can change their lives for the better. They might have challenged backgrounds but that isn't sufficient to hold them back, if they are willing to work toward a better future. These are such worthy goals, creating a better community for all of us.

Located in the Newmarket business district, NECAT occupies the site of a former Asian banquet facility. Its origins extend back several years, to a chance meeting at a funeral. At this funeral, Maarten Hemsley (pictured above), a financial executive, met Bill Strickland, the founder of the Manchester Bidwell Corporation, a career and cultural training center established in Pittsburgh in 1968. Strickland replicated his centers in a number of regions across the U.S. and wanted to start one in the Boston area. He convinced Hemsley to do so, laying the foundation for NECAT.

Initially, NECAT considered creating a training center for medical technology jobs however, when researching the career needs of the Boston area, they saw the high need for culinary workers so decided to concentrate on that industry. NECAT, a nonprofit business, finally opened in September 2013, only three years ago. It is still a young company, having hired this past year a new Executive Director, Josephine Cuzzi, and a Culinary Director, Paul O'Connell (former Chef-Owner of Chez Henri). They, and the rest of the staff, are forging ahead, honing the concept and educational curriculum, as well as trying to raise the visibility of this fascinating institution.

I recently toured the NECAT facility and spoke with Executive Director Cuzzi, and was immediately struck by its dedication to aesthetics. In this regard, NECAT is following one of Strickland's guiding principles, that "Environment shapes people’s lives." As Strickland stated, “Environment shapes behavior. The beauty of the physical environment is essential. It nourishes the spirit. You can’t show a person how to build a better life if they feel no pleasure in the simple act of being alive. You can’t inspire a person to live a better life if they don’t know what a good life feels like.”

If you create a beautiful space for learning, it will help to show the students that they are valued, providing them more motivation to succeed. It will also make them feel better about where they are learning. If they were taught in some dingy kitchen, with outdated equipment, they wouldn't feel as good as they do as in a place like NECAT. The importance of aesthetics is not a concept that is commonly addressed in numerous businesses but it can have a significant impact. Maybe the aesthetics of the work place should be considered more often.

At NECAT, the hallways are decorated with a wide variety of artwork, inspirational posters and photography. For example, there is one section of hallway (pictured above) covered with numerous photographs of Martin Luther King, a nod to the center's dedication to social justice.

The entire facility is spacious and clean, well-lit and welcoming. The main kitchen is well outfitted with professional equipment. You feel like this is a quality facility and you would be proud to be taught here. It doesn't feel like they are cutting corners in any way. Students can feel like they are receiving a professional education, that the facility cares about their lives.

A significant portion of the classroom instruction occurs in a wood paneled auditorium which also acts a demonstration kitchen. There is an induction oven as well as two large video screens, allowing the students to see everything that the instructor does. During my visit, some of the students were studiously working on their culinary creations while others were talking with the instructor. There was a positive vibe in the air, with plenty of smiles and laughter, yet it was clear that this was a learning environment.

In this photo, you can see that the students are creating croquembouche, a traditional French dessert. I could perceive the intense concentration of the students as they tried to assemble their pyramids of pastry.

Students attend a 16-week culinary program, from Monday to Friday, from 9am-3pm each day. Initially, the program had been 28 weeks, from Monday to Thursday, but this was found to be too long and unnecessary. They were able to condense the program, without eliminating any significant information. Currently, a Culinary Director and two instructors determine the curriculum and teach the students.

During the first 8 weeks of the program, students wear a black hat and learn the basics, from knife cuts to various cooking techniques. During the second 8 weeks, the students exchange their black hats for orange ones, performing more actual cooking, as well as engaging in internships and stages (some paid) at various local restaurants and kitchens. As each class graduates, another class starts.

The students prepare lunch every day and guests are welcome to visit NECAT and partake of these lunches. I enjoyed one of their lunches last week, a hearty and tasty dish including chicken thighs, buffalo mac n' cheese, and a hash croquette. The students and instructors enjoy this lunch as well.

Students must present a professional appearance during the program, including ensuring that their uniforms are neatly pressed. As such, the school provides irons for the students to press their clothes, noting that not all of their students have access to an iron at their homes. Presenting a professional appearance is important for job interviews as well as when the graduates are hired by a restaurant or kitchen.

A new class, sometimes called a cohort, begins every eight weeks, and generally consists of about 30 people. By the time of graduation, that number is usually reduced to about 15-20 as some students drop out while others acquire a job and don't finish the program. NECAT is working on raising the percentage of graduates though it is challenging. They also would like to institute a second class, a night program, which would allow them to increase the number of students, though they need additional donations and funding to support that expansion. Since their opening, NECAT has graduated 325 students, each year growing the number of graduates. For example, they should graduate approximately 150 students in 2016.

As for the student demographics, here are some rough statistics. There is a ratio of about 70% men and 30% women, aged from 18 to 60 years old. About 84% are people of color, 53% are on public assistance, 26% are in addiction recovery, 40% have a criminal background and 35% are high school dropouts. Most of the students come from Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan, due to the proximity of the school, but students are welcome from any Massachusetts city or town.

As NECAT has a small budget, they aren't able to engage in much advertising, so they rely heavily on word of mouth and guerrilla marketing. They work with a number of social services, seeking potential students. They also attend some community events, showcasing the skills of their students. Every Tuesday, they hold information sessions for potential applicants, and usually there are about six applicants each week.

You can review their application criteria and note that applicants require a high school diploma or GED. In most other regards though, NECAT is "blind to admissions," meaning that they don't hold your past against you and have few restrictions. They are more concerned over whether you are willing to make a commitment to the program. It is estimated that the culinary training for each student is worth approximately $7,000 though applicants only have to pay a $200 fee, which covers a small portion of their supplies, from textbooks to uniforms.

Besides teaching culinary skills, NECAT also instructs the students in other life skills, such as working with a team, conflict resolution, job applications, interviewing, and more. The school wants to ensure they are ready for a new career, able to work well in a kitchen with others. The ultimate goal is to get graduates hired, at a living wage, and provide them a career path for the future. NECAT's graduates will acquire jobs such as Line Cook, Prep Cook, Garde Manger, Caterer, Line Supervisor, Baker, and Sous Chef.

NECAT currently works with about 60 Employer Partners, generally staying away from fast food restaurants. For example, some of those partners include local restaurants such as Puritan & Co., Taranta, and Tremont 647, while other partners include the New England Aquarium, Boston Children's Hospital and the Seaport Hotel. Most recently, Eataly has hired more than a dozen NECAT graduates, and probably will hire more in the near future.

Legal Sea Foods has also hired a number of NECAT graduates and one of their representatives stated to me, "We’ve hired about 7 NECAT graduates this year, and we hope to hire more in the future. We’ve found these graduates to be hard-working and motivated, and a great fit for the open positions we have. We are involved in the program – our Chefs have enjoyed speaking to NECAT classes about Legal Sea Foods and employment opportunities, and sharing their real-world experiences. And we look forward to growing the relationship."

Currently, NECAT calculates that their graduates earn an average of $14 an hour, though they have only just started to track their past graduates to determine what they are currently doing. NECAT is beginning to establish a formal alumni network, which will help them better determine the success of their graduates.

Obviously, funding is essential to the continuation and possible expansion of this culinary program. NECAT relies heavily on state and municipal grants and foundations for revenue. In Friday's Boston Globe, Adrian Walker reported that Governor Charlie Baker's proposed budget could cut $300,000 in state aid to NECAT, about 20% of their budget, which would have a significant negative impact on NECAT's programs. Hopefully that won't occur or a supplemental budget will get passed to restore those lost monies. If the cuts do go through, NECAT will really need additional funding from other sources, from donations to other grants.

Even if their budget is not cut, NECAT still would benefit from additional funding, from whatever source. For example, individual and/or institution donations can be very helpful and you can check out their Donations page for more details on how you can help. In addition, you could also hire NECAT to cater your next event, whether a private party or corporate get-together.

NECAT has also begun a Master Chef Series, fundraising events where they will bring in chefs from all over the world to cook with NECAT students and hold a special dinner. Their first dinner was held last Thursday evening, presenting famed Israeli Chef Uri Jeremias, who owns the Uri Buri seafood restaurant in Akko. I attended the event as a media guest and will be writing about it in the near future. Future Master Chef events are in the planning stages now.

However, to acquire additional funding and donations, NECAT needs greater visibility, for people to understand all of the good that this program provides to the community. Not only are they helping to provide employees for local restaurants and kitchens, but more importantly, they are helping people make better lives for themselves. These people have struggled in their lives, because of various challenging factors, and they can be helped if we are willing to give them an opportunity.

Adrian Walker's Boston Globe article, which I mentioned earlier, also related the story of Khristopher Reed (pictured above), who is set to graduate this week and will begin working at Eataly as a butcher. At last week's Master Chef dinner, I was fortunate to hear Khristopher tell his inspirational story, as he noted that "life is full of changes." He told us of some of the challenges of his life and how so much has turned around due to NECAT's culinary program. He has made many excellent friends among the other students and is so eager to learn new things. He has always had a passion for cooking and now is able to work in that field, due to the opportunity he was given and his own personal dedication to the program. And his is but one of the many inspirational stories you will find at NECAT.

Let us find ways to raise the visibility of NECAT, to share its inspirational stories, to relate its successes. 

Restaurant owners and managers, I strongly encourage you to consider hiring NECAT graduates to fill openings in your kitchens. We all know there is a shortage of good culinary employees and this is a resource you should be using. You not only will be hiring new employees, but you will be helping these graduates start new lives. If you are interested in exploring the possibilities, check out NECAT's Employee Partners page, which provides you the contact information you need.

For my other readers, I encourage you to learn more about NECAT and give them your support. Take a tour of the facility, have lunch there, or attend a future event. If you can donate money to NECAT, please do so. And importantly, help spread the word about NECAT. It needs to be much better known and strongly depends on word of mouth to do so. If you know anyone who would benefit from attending NECAT's culinary program, please tell them about the opportunities.

NECAT is more than worthy of your attention. Please share their story.