From 26 to 28 October, Meeting of the Seas, the international encounter in Andalusia forging links between gastronomy, sea sciences and the fishing industry, will again be bringing together oceanographers, marine biologists, researchers, chefs and leading professionals in the fishing industry to discuss the future of our oceans. This year the 'super bluefoods' as a solution to build healthier, fairer and more sustainable foodstuff systems will be the keynote at the fourth round of an event which will cover the provinces of Huelva and Cádiz over three days. Isla Canela, Ayamonte, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Chiclana will be just a few of the congress locations, and one work session will also be held in Doñana. And, for the first time, one of the gastronomic activities will travel to Portugal.

Three days to discuss the current situation of the marine world, sustainable fishery plans, the potential climate and foodstuff advantages of 'super bluefoods', sea foodstuffs with some very beneficial nutritional properties, such as mussels. According to the experts, an 8% increase in the supply of these products by 2023 could prevent more than 160 million cases of micronutrient deficiencies worldwide.

Submarine restaurant

The list of chefs at Meeting of the Seas 2022 features Nicolai Ellitsgaard, chef of Under* (Lindesnes, Norway), who runs a Michelin-starred restaurant built in the fishing village Baly in Lindesnes, Norway. This Dane has developed a fascination with algae in recent years, and is still finding new cookable species and more possibilities and techniques to dive even deeper into the oceans.

Leading the Spanish restaurants, Ángel León (Aponiente***, Puerto de Santa María), a sailor by vocation and also a three-starred chef, whose passion for the sea and fishing and knowledge of the marine environment he prefers - fish, algae and salts - brings that intimate oceanic horizon into its own in his kitchen. With him, Diego Gallegos, chef at Sollo* (Fuengirola), a Brazilian who has created one of the world's most sustainable restaurants in Fuengirola, by cooking the outcome of his aquaponic system, which has become his main larder; and Pepe Solla, Casa Solla* (Poio, Pontevedra), a mouthpiece for renovation of Galician cuisine, supporting local producers and making a stand for cookery that contrasts the natural flavours of the best local fish and a reformulated Galician plantation.

Sustainable seafood cannery 

Another speaker will be Canadian Charlotte Langley, chef and founder of the Scout cannery. Langley fell in love with seafood during her time as chef at a number of restaurants in Canada. She now makes a stand for it at a number of organisations. She is the founder of Scout, the first sustainable seafood canning industry in Canada and the US, where she calls for responsible sea produce practices, a task she also carries out as MSC ambassador in Canada for Chefs for Impact - a non-profitmaking organisation working on education on foodstuff sustainability - and as chef of the Marine Stewardship Council.