Norway, Aug. 6, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Norwegian Seafood Council is excited to announce the formation of their Chef's Culinary Board. The Board will unite renowned seafood and sustainably focused chefs from restaurants across the United States, unified in their efforts to promote and advocate for Nordic Cuisine and sustainable species like Norwegian ocean-farmed salmon and Norwegian Skrei™.
See more information from Norwegian Seafood Council and Synaptic Digital: http://inr.synapticdigital.com/norwegianseafoodcouncil/
The Culinary Board brings together chefs with diverse culinary and geographic backgrounds, aligned in their appreciation for high-quality seafood that is sustainably sourced with a keen respect for nature and origin. Members of the Norwegian Seafood Chef's Culinary Board include:
• Todd Gray - owner and chef of Equinox in Washington D.C.
• Jamie Malone - chef of Sea Change in Minneapolis
• Kevin Sbraga - owner and chef of Sbraga in Philadelphia
• Geoffrey Reed - chef of Plaj in San Francisco
• Patty Rasmussen - owner and chef of Tre Kronor in Chicago
• Larry Anderson - owner and chef of Tre Kronor in Chicago
To kick-off the Chef's Culinary Board, the Norwegian Seafood Council recently guided the chefs through Norway, where they were immersed in the brand's origin, encompassing the unique values such as heritage, tradition and natural conditions. The chefs were educated in aquaculture practices, which included tours of the cold, clear waters in the fjords along the Norwegian coastline and pristine quality of the salmon and halibut production facilities. The chefs had the opportunity to work with Norwegian chefs to learn local cooking techniques, sample authentic Nordic Cuisine and prepare an array of fresh seafood, putting their unique, modern spin on each dish.
Since returning to their restaurants, the chefs are excited to share their experiences and replicate the flavors of Norway during a special Nordic Cuisine tasting menu. Each chef will be featuring a unique tasting menu inspired by his or her personal experience in Norway. The menu will highlight the core values of Nordic Cuisine (purity, simplicity, freshness and ethics) and the delicious, sustainably sourced seafood such as Norwegian ocean-farmed salmon. The Nordic Cuisine tasting menu will run for a limited-time in each restaurant during August and September.
"We are thrilled with the passion and level of engagement the Culinary Board members showed during our trip to Norway," says Karin Olsen, U.S. Director of the Norwegian Seafood Council. "We can't wait to see how each of the chefs reinterpret our product during the upcoming Nordic inspired tastings."
As the popularity of Nordic Cuisine continues to increase, the Norwegian Seafood Council is looking forward to announcing several upcoming events that will elevate interest around Norway's sustainable, fresh seafood and simple, healthy food philosophy. Members of the Chef's Culinary Board are excited to introduce Norwegian Skrei™, a seasonal migratory cod, renowned for it's beautiful, white, flaky meat and delicate flavor, during an exclusive dinner at each of their restaurants. The chefs will showcase the pristine quality and unique history of Norwegian Skrei™ to their peers when the highly anticipated season kicks off in January.
Norway is the second-largest exporter of seafood, supplying more than 150 countries worldwide with its bounty. Each year, Norwegian fishermen harvest more than 3 million tons of wild and ocean-farmed seafood. The Norwegian Seafood Council formed the Chef's Culinary Board as a leading culinary advisory panel to spread key messages of Norwegian Seafood, culinary trends and sustainability.
In the coming weeks, members of the Norwegian Seafood Chef's Culinary Board will be featuring Norwegian ocean-farmed salmon during a special Nordic Cuisine Tasting. For more information on the Chef's Culinary Board and upcoming Nordic Cuisine tastings, visit www.SalmonfromNorway.com and get engaged via #EatNorwegianSeafood.
About the Norwegian Seafood Council
Founded in 1991 by the Ministry of Fisheries, the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) builds awareness of and educates the public on seafood from Norway. From the headquarters in Tromso, Norway and a U.S. branch in Boston, Mass., the NSC carries out Norwegian seafood promotional, media, marketing and public relations campaigns and is a resource for market information in more than 20 different markets. Its entire efforts are financed by the Norwegian seafood industry itself. As the world's second largest exporter of seafood, Norway provides quality, nutrient rich seafood to over 150 different countries, and is the world's largest joint marketer of seafood. For more information on the NSC visit www.seafoodfromnorway.com