Wylie Dufresne: A Model for the Future
Posted on | March 3, 2010 | No Comments
Wylie Dufresne, chef and owner of Lower East Side’s WD-50, pushes the culinary world in new directions with precision and confidence. Tapping into knowledge gained from the scientific discipline of molecular gastronomy, he churns out progressive American cuisine using nontraditional tools such as immersion circulators, liquid nitrogen, and Cryovac machines. SOP was delighted to learn that Wylie blends his forward-thinking ideas into his approach for supporting sustainable seafood.
Photo credit: Michael Harlan Turkell
A quick read through WD-50’s menu elicits a few noteworthy observations. First, the recent bad boys of sustainable seafood (e.g., bluefin tuna and Chilean sea bass) are clearly missing. One offering, eel, is most likely not from a sustainable source. But then there are choices like Arctic char, scallops, and Maine shrimp that emerge as sustainable superstars.
While the menu shows a tendency toward seafood sustainability, no mention of this intent can be found anywhere. This struck SOP as odd. We know there is a growing market for sustainable seafood, so why not promote it and tell people about it? SOP asked Wylie that exact question. He explained that guests visiting a restaurant of WD-50’s caliber should feel confident that its menu items come from sustainable sources. We believe this is a model for the future.
Imagine the day when you can step into any restaurant and know (or easily find out) whether it serves sustainable seafood or not. It’s like walking into your favorite restaurant and knowing you will get a certain quality food. A clear commitment to sustainability (or lack thereof) will be another distinguishable feature of all restaurants that diners contemplate when deciding where to spend their hard earned dollars.
SOP commends Wylie for his understated approach to sustainable seafood. However, because the movement is still in its formative stages, we believe restaurants and their guests should continue talking openly about seafood sustainability. Restaurants must instill trust in their customers by making open commitments to not sell ‘red list’ species. And restaurant goers need to hold restaurants accountable by asking questions about where their fish is from and how it was harvested or farm-raised.
SOP encourages you to seek out WD-50 next time you are looking for a fine dining experience in Manhattan. The truly unique and delicious dishes with sustainability undertones are worth the trip. And don’t forget to quiz Wylie to test his sustainable seafood knowledge!
Tags: arctic char > bluefin > chef > Chilean sea bass > farm-raised > fish > maine shrimp > molecular gastronomy > restaurant > scallops > seafood > sustainable > tuna > WD-50 > Wylie Dufresne
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