Fish & Farm on the Salmon Question: "This Is Our Point."

James Newman, 10/23/07

Earlier today, some wondered about salmon's enduring presence on Fish & Farm's menu, seeing as how salmon season has been canceled and Fish & Farm sells itself on a fanatical approach to local ingredients. Well, owner Frank Klein chimed in, with some tidy explanations. His thoughts on the matter are after the jump, but the short version is this: it is Loch Duart salmon, which is sustainably farmed and decidedly not local. But the important part is that F&F purposefully uses Loch Duart salmon in order to make a statement and create a dialogue about the inherent dangers of salmon fishing. So, in other words, they were ahead of the curve on this whole salmon crisis business.

From Fish & Farm owner Frank Klein:

Shown this posting by my chef Charlie. Firstly. WE NEVER SAY OR SAID IT WAS LOCAL. This is our point. The chefs and I decided to use Loch Duart salmon which is sustainably farmed in ocean pens to prove the point that you can STOP harming local environments and get something from afar that will aid in the stopping of the destruction of the local Salmon. Your clever photogs "caught" us posting our menu in full view. Read the menu headings...if it is local we say so. Our staff loves to discuss why we have Salmon on the menu--sustainable, healthy, and not local. And more to the point---we are about sustainability and responsible food sourcing just as much as we are about local. On this night we can calculate nearly 80% of our menu from 150 miles. Ironically every other item in your photo is sourced from 100 miles! It's far too old school to think "farmed raised" fish is all bad--that's so last year and not an educated opinion, in our opinion. Our restaurant is one of the most "hyper local" in the city and we are very, very proud of what we offer. And in reference to your other "link" to dispel our ethics--read my response there.....that woman is just plain wrong.

Also, for what's it's worth, Klein says he has no idea why or how anyone would ever get the idea that F&F has ever served fish from Canada. And thus ends SalmonGate. For now.
· Spotted: Mysterious Local Salmon at Fish & Farm? [~ESF~]