The stress on bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean (see above) creates a dilemma for the fish-eating public. What’s a diner to do? A more important question, though, is how leading chefs will respond. In the past, chefs in the nation’s top restaurants have done a remarkable job of educating Americans about previously obscure cuts of meat and the benefits of locally grown produce. In the same spirit, they should respond to overfishing of bluefin tuna by replacing it on their menus with more sustainable species.
Some chefs need convincing. Greg Cushman of O Ya recently argued that many customers expect to be offered bluefin. “You want first and foremost to give people what they want,’’ he told the Globe. Fair enough, but Cushman is selling short his own ability to steer public appetites. O Ya is among the best-reviewed restaurants in the country. Its customers come prepared not just to spend handsomely, but also to defer to the chef’s superior judgment. Bluefin tuna stocks will rebound faster if innovative cooks around the world explore and promote the alternatives.
