27 Jun 2019

Aspen Food & Wine 2019

Another year of Aspen Food & Wine Classic has come and gone. Each year, after it’s over, we reflect on the whole weekend and frankly, we’re surprised that…. we’re still surprised. It seems that there is no limit, capacity or ceiling to be reached when it comes to the creativity displayed at the Classic. Each year the dishes get better – more beautiful, and more delicious. The chefs more creative and the speakers more inspirational.

But something else stuck out to us this year, and it has to do with those actually attending Food & Wine. People are asking questions – lots of them. Informed questions, probing to find out more details about what exactly they’re eating:

“Is this sustainable?” 

“How was this raised and harvested?” 

“Where is this from?”

“Who grew this?”

“Is this certified?”

As a supplier focused on bringing our customers sustainable, traceable food as much as possible, these questions are magic to our ears. It’s incredibly encouraging to see that people are interested in what they are consuming, and how it affects our planet’s resources. We expect (and hope) to see this trend to continue at future Food & Wine Classics and other festivals across the country. 

This year, Seattle Fish Company is proud to have co-hosted and participated in several events, many of them centered around sustainability and responsibility throughout the food supply chain. 


The Future of Food: Aquaculture Plated, Andrew Zimmern Luncheon

To kick off the weekend, Seattle Fish Company joined forces with Verlasso, Pacifico Aquaculture, Riverence, Island Creek, Fair Trade Seafood & Kosta Browne to co-host a luncheon with Chef Andrew Zimmern. Held on the outdoor patio of Casa Tua, the event educated attendees on the benefits and importance of aquaculture as a solution for continuing to feed our growing planet.

Zimmern spoke to the crowd about the need for immediate action in regards to sustainability efforts: “Today we are not facing a global health problem, or a global food problem, or a food insecurity problem. We don’t have a climate change issue. We’re having a humanitarian crisis on our planet. We are pushing problems that need to be solved today on to the plates of future generations. If we don’t take care of it ourselves and start advocating for the things we know to be true and right, there won’t be anything left for our children to advocate for. If you’re not for sustainability, then you’re not for caring for other human beings and you’re not for caring for our planet.

Along with Zimmern’s inspiring speech, attendees were fed sustainable bites from Verlasso, Pacifico, Island Creek, Riverence, Fair Trade Seafood and wines were supplied by Kosta Browne. There was ample networking among the thought leaders in attendance, and energizing conversations around how we can work together to make a positive difference in our industry, and for our future.  

This was planned in collaboration with Jennifer Bushman. All seafood was hand-cut, packaged and delivered by Seattle Fish Company. 


Kosta Browne @ The Peak (Buttermilk Mountain Event with Top Chefs)

As far as we know, there are no medals given out for the amazing views in Aspen. But if there were, the Kosta Brown @ The Peak Party would have taken home the gold. Attendees arrived at the base of Buttermilk Mountain and were greeted with caviar bumps and Island Creek oysters, before being whisked away on a chairlift and taken on a fifteen-minute ride to the top of the mountain.

Island Creek Oysters shucking fresh oysters for guests arriving at the Kosta Browne event.

Upon arrival at the top, the scenery seems to completely unfold and offer impressive, expansive views of the surrounding peaks. It was here that former Top Chef contestants prepared and were serving the crowd delicious bites.

Guests taking in the views from the top of Buttermilk Mountain.
Chef Eddie Konrad’s dish: Verlasso salmon with Green Tomato & Cabbage “Chow Chow”

Cochon 555: Heritage Fire Snowmass

One of our favorite events of the weekend, Heritage Fire, takes place at the base of Snowmass Village. All of the dishes served at Heritage Fire are prepared over open flame, challenging the chefs to come up with dishes that may be a little out of their comfort zone or at least different from their usual indoor kitchen approach. 

Seattle Fish Company collaborated closely with the Cochon 555 team to select seafood and non-seafood proteins that could be used at the event, including: Niceland wolffish, whole Rosen lamb, Miller Chicken, Colorado hybrid striped bass, octopus, and more.

The next Cochon 555 Heritage Fire event is on August 11th, at Acreage by Stem Ciders in Layfayette, Colorado. Make sure to get your ticket now before it sells out!


That’s a wrap for Aspen Food & Wine 2019. Thank you to our strategic partners for your hard work in collaborating on, planning and executing these events, and especially to our customers, who work hard all weekend long to turn “ingredients” into magical dishes for everyone to enjoy. We’ll be dreaming about it until next year!

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