The recent Young Chefs Sustainable Seafood Cookoff 2024 was more than just a competition; it was a celebration of sustainability and skill-sharing, and part of a broader movement towards sustainability among the next generation in the culinary industry.

The Young Chefs Sustainable Seafood Cookoff 2024 – organised by The Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (WWF-SASSI) and Atlantis Foods at Food Jams in Cape Town – brought together talented participants from four local culinary schools: the Cape Town Hotel School, Cooktastic, Capsicum, and the International Hotel School. In a fierce contest of creativity and passion, the young culinary stars showcased their skills with two standout dishes using sustainable ingredients generously supplied by WWF-SASSI’s partners, Food Lovers Market & Atlantis Foods: a vibrant Seafood Paella featuring Yellowtail, Mussels, and ASC-certified Prawns, and Hake-Stuffed Squid Steaks drizzled with Garlic Butter (ASC-certified) Prawns.

The winning team, “The Golden Girls” – Lwandisa Maya (Cooktastic), Hannah Bruintjies (Cape Town Hotel School), Snothile Cele (International Hotel School), and Slindile Ngema (Cape Town Hotel School) – had this to say: “Sustainability is crucial in the culinary world. We aim to ensure the seafood and ingredients we cherish today will thrive for generations to come!”

The cook-off was a highlight among several WWF-SASSI’s initiatives to empower youth in the culinary world, during October, Marine Month 2024.

“Our youth are the future stewards of both our kitchens and our oceans,” says Kirtanya Maharaj, WWF-SASSI Outreach & Awareness Manager. “By equipping them with the knowledge to cook sustainable seafood, we are not only promoting culinary creativity but also instilling a sense of responsibility to protect our marine resources.”

Cook-off participants were also inspired through dynamic flash talks by industry leaders, including WWF-SASSI Trailblazer Chefs Jason Whitehead and Jocelyn Myers-Adams; Sadiqa Fredericks from Atlantis Foods and Wendy Coetzee from Showcook.

WWF-SASSI was also represented in the judging panel for the BRECO Seafood Master Competition, empowering young, less privileged chefs to push creative boundaries while using sustainable seafood.

Furthermore, the award-winning JHP Gourmet Guide – which promotes SA as a culinary destination and rewards excellence that meets global standards and supports and skills the industry – profiles WWF-SASSI as central to the future of food. WWF-SASSI celebrates this partnership by presenting the JHP Green Plate Award at a glamorous ceremony during Marine Month to recognise a dining establishment dedicated to sustainable practices.

WWF-SASSI has played a vital role in linking science with seafood sustainability, educating consumers through three essential questions: What is it? Where is it from? How was it caught or farmed? These answers guide us to the SASSI list: Green – Best Choice, Orange – Think Twice, or Red – Don’t Buy.

To empower the next generation of consumers, foodies and ocean warriors, WWF-SASSI posters and pocket cards also reached over 38,000 South Africans around the country for Marine Month via the Pick n Pay Schools programme.

“With growing consumer awareness around sustainability, young chefs are emerging as champions of responsible cooking. By promoting sustainable seafood practices, the culinary industry can further contribute to shifting consumer demand away from overexploited marine species,” concludes Maharaj. “Seafood consumption has doubled over the past generation and it has become more important than ever to understand the origins of our food and the impact of our choices.”

For more information about WWF-SASSI’s work and to access the seafood list, visit wwfsassi.co.za or engage with us @SASSI on Facebook; and @wwfsassi on Instagram.