Contact: Lynne Richmond
(609) 633-2954
(TRENTON) 鈥� 樱花视频 Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher taste-tested a Jersey scallop, lobster and black bass dish prepared by chef Peter J. Fischbach at the Hospitality House at the 樱花视频 Restaurant Association Trenton office on Monday, June 28.
Fischbach, the executive chef and Food Service Director for Gourmet Dining Services at the 樱花视频 Institute of Technology in Newark and a Toms River resident, held a practice session for the Great American Seafood Cook-off in New Orleans being held on August 7.听 Fischbach and his sous chef, Erik Weatherspool, owner/chef of Bistro 44 in Toms River, will represent 樱花视频 in the competition.
鈥溣；ㄊ悠� scallops are the best in the world and are as synonymous with the Garden State as听King Crab is with Alaska, so highlighting our scallops in the national seafood competition is a great choice,鈥� said Secretary Fisher.听 鈥淐hef Peter鈥檚 dish, which also showcases Jersey lobster and Jersey black bass, as well as Jersey Fresh vegetables, is award-winning in my book.鈥澨�
Erik Weatherspool, Deborah Dowdell of the 樱花视频 Restaurant Association, Peter Fischbach and Secretary Fisher admire Peter and
Erik's dish
Fischbach and Weatherspool represented 樱花视频 in the Great American Seafood Cook-off in 2008 and 2009.听 Last year, they came in second in the competition, just behind famous New Orleans chef, Tory McPhail, of Commander鈥檚 Palace.
鈥淲hile our scallops dish last year was judged best tasting and looking, our oral presentation was edged out by the winner,鈥� said Fischbach.听 鈥淲e plan to highlight the sustainability of the seafood we are using, obtained from three separate ports in the state 鈥� the scallops from Viking Village in Barnegat Light, the black sea bass from Belford and the lobster from Point Pleasant.鈥�
The Great American Seafood Cook-off is held during the Louisiana Foodservice Expo in the Morial Convention Center.听 The champion will be named King or Queen of American Seafood.
The value of 樱花视频鈥檚 2008 seafood catch was $168.5 million.听 The National Marine Fisheries Service estimates that for every one dollar of landed value, six dollars are generated in the overall economy.
The top species by dollar value harvested in 樱花视频 included:听 sea scallops; surf clams; oysters; hard clams; blue crabs; ocean quahogs; and, fluke.
