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http://w w w .montereyherald.com/food/ci_18086072 May 31, 2011

Cooking for Solutions has morphed into major foodhappening — with a clear message - MontereyHerald.com :

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Food Network's Alton Brown is one of the celebrities on hand.

 Alittle more than 10 years ago, Cooking for Solutions began whena couple of food-loving employees at the Monterey Bay Aquaritumput their heads together to promote the idea of sustainableseafood — long before it was a trend.

Now, consumers are starting to get the message, and Cooking for Solutions co-founder Ginger Hopkins thinks the event may havebeen instrumental in bringing about a new awareness of the

oceans, the food they produce and the respect that's due our environment.

"I would love to think we were there at the start of things," said Hopkins, the aquarium's director of culinary relationships and special events.

 And of course, the event has evolved since its genesis, growing from two days to three, from 20participating wineries to 60, and from a handful of chefs to more than 70, which this year includesbig names such as Food Network's Alton Brown and Robert Irvine, public television's Nathan Lyon,syndicated gardening and cooking guru P. Allen Smith, and public radio's Lynne Rossetto Kasper of "The Splendid Table."

Cooking for Solutions 2011 this Friday through Sunday will be a veritable smorgasbord of celebrity

chefs, delicious dishes and ocean conservation, with some 70-plus chefs coming together to sharetheir passion for fine dining and the environment at the event. As many as 8,000 people areexpected to attend this weekend's demonstrations, lectures and other activities.

"It's really amazing food," said

Hopkins. "You can't even taste all of it because there's so much of it."

It all began when interest arose in putting on a culinary event as a way to promote the aquarium'sSeafood Watch program, which helps consumers choose sustainably raised or caught fish andshellfish.

"Our good friend Jim Dodge introduced us to Alice Waters," said Hopkins, and the legendary chef at Berkeley's Chez Panisse gave them this advice: "Don't just make this about seafood, make itabout everything. Healthy choices equally healthy oceans."

Hopkins, along with the aquarium's Ken Peterson and Mimi Hahn, came up with a plan for that initial"Cooking for Solutions," although Hopkins also credits the aquarium itself as inspiring the event.

 A decade later, Cooking for Solutions is morphing into a major food happening. Hopkinsremembers having to beg for wineries to participate that first year — "There were so few organicwines" — and now there are so many wineries that want to pour their vintages that there isn't room

for them all, and some must be turned away.

This year, for the first time, Cooking for Solutions has been expanded to three days from theprevious two. And there's something for everyone, from exclusive presentations by culinarycelebrities to free demonstrations that anyone visiting the aquarium can enjoy.

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Tickets are selling briskly for the various Cooking for Solutions events; it's likely that many will sellout, so early purchase is recommended.

Rick Moonen of rm seafood in Las Vegas will be honored as Chef of the Year for his passionateadvocacy of sustainable seafood. Along with Moonen, 15 other noted chefs from across the UnitedStates and Canada will be honored as Celebrity Chef Ambassadors.

New and returning honorees include the aquarium's new culinary partner and celebrity host chef 

Cindy Pawlcyn (Mustards Grill, Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen and Go Fish, all Napa Valley, and theMonterey Bay Aquarium Restaurant); John Ash (Fetzer Vineyards, Hopland); Seth Caswell(emmer&rye, Seattle); Chris Cosentino (Incanto, San Francisco); William Dissen (The MarketPlace, Asheville, N.C.); Carla Hall (Alchemy by Carla Hall, Washington D.C.); Ed Kenney (town,Honolulu); Bun Lai (Miya's Sushi, New Haven, Conn.); Anthony Lamas (Seviche, Louisville, Ky.);Peter Pahk (Kingsmill Resort, Williamsburg, Va.); Lee Richardson (Ashley's Restaurant at CapitalHotel, Little Rock, Ark.); Casey Thompson (Brownstone, Fort Worth); Bryan Voltaggio (VOLT,Frederick, Md.); Eric Warnstedt (Hen of the Wood, Waterbury, Vt.); and Virginia Willis (VirginiaWillis Culinary Productions, Atlanta).

Six participating Special Guests Chefs — all honored as Celebrity Chef Ambassadors at past

Cooking for Solutions celebrations — include Regina Charboneau (Inn at Twin Oaks, Natchez,Miss.); Sam Choy (Sam Choy's Breakfast, Lunch & Crab, Honolulu); Michael Cimarusti(Providence, Los Angeles), Jesse Ziff Cool (Cool Eatz Restaurants and Catering/Flea St. Café,Menlo Park); Brandon Hill (Bamboo Sushi, Portland); and Charles Phan (The Slanted Door, SanFrancisco).

 All proceeds from Cooking for Solutions support the Seafood Watch program, which has helped totransform the seafood market in ways that preserve healthy ecosystems and sustain ocean wildlife.Lead sponsors this year are Earthbound Farm and Coastal Living magazine.

Cooking for Solutions kicks off with this Friday's gala, a sellout event every year.

Saturday's lineup includes some newly added elements, including Coastal Living Pavilionpresentations by Alton Brown, Robert Irvine and P. Allen Smith, and the Salon Series, conversationswith leaders in the sustainable and organic movements, including Maria Rodale of Rodale Inc., aworldwide publishing company with a focus on health, wellness and the environment; MyraGoodman, co-founder of Earthbound Farm; and cookbook author Kristine Kidd, former food editor for Bon Appetit magazine.

The day will also feature chef-led "Food & Wine Adventures" outings, cooking demonstrations withselected chefs, and a daylong Sustainable Foods Celebration, which is open to all aquariumvisitors. This free celebration includes cooking demonstrations, kids' activities, talks by celebrity

chefs Sam Choy, Mark Dommen and Lee Richardson, and samples of sustainable, wild-caught Alaska seafood, local produce and artisan foods.

Saturday evening brings the sold-out Sustainable Seafood Challenge, an "Iron Chef"-like event inwhich four chefs prepare dishes from the same sustainable ingredients in a tournament-stylekitchen set-up.

Sunday will feature a Gulf Coast champagne breakfast with Regina Charboneau, Lee Richardsonand Virginia Willis, along with live Cajun music; a second day of Coastal Living Pavilionpresentations with Brown and Lyon; a continuation of the Salon Series with noted chefs; and thefinal day of the Sustainable Foods Celebration.

The aquarium's Seafood Watch program, which inspired the creation of "Cooking for Solutions,"gives consumers, chefs and major seafood buyers the information they need to make seafoodchoices that help assure a future with abundant ocean wildlife.

Since its ince tion in 1999, Seafood Watch has la ed a ke role in movin sustainable seafood

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into the culinary mainstream.

In a nutshell, Hopkins said, "People vote with their forks, with the choices they make."

If you go ·What: Cooking for Solutions 2011·When: Friday through Sunday

·Where: Monterey Bay Aquarium·Admission: Some events free with admission to aquarium; others range from $45 to $225. Seewebsite for a complete list; some already sold out·Information/tickets: www.cookingforsolutions.org or (866) 963-9645