SEAFOOD SAFARI

“I WILL TAKE ANY CHANCE TO VISIT  the coast, being a Gautenger. And when the opportunity arose shortly after lockdown regulations were relaxed, I jumped at the chance to head for the Cape. I’d been wanting to meet chef Judi Fourie since she was awarded WWFSASSI Trailblazer status last year, and my research about sustainable seafood had yielded some interesting stats. Did you know that global fish consumption rose from nine kilograms per person in 1961 to 20.5 kg in 2018?

Locally, at least 312 million kilograms of fish is consumed in South Africa each year, and recent statistics from WWFSASSI South Africa show that 94.2% of the world’s fish stocks are either fully exploited or considered unsustainable.

Thankfully, as consumers, we are increasingly scrutinising the origins of our food. That, plus the growing number of chefs committed to sustainability, in combination with innovative harvesting practices, makes it so much easier to eat responsibly. Which is exactly what I planned to do on my seafood safari, learning a few important lessons en route.

My first stop was Judi’s restaurant, Pilcrow and Cleaver, in Cape Town’s centre, where she combats diner apathy