Profiles

Chris Douglass

Chris Douglass is the chef and co-owner of Icarus Restaurant in Boston, Massachusetts.

What is your favorite seafood to eat?
Wild striped bass, although it’s hard to pick one.

What is your favorite seafood to prepare at the restaurant?
King salmon.

What’s the most popular seafood dish on your menu?
Salmon.

How did you get interested in the issue of sustainable seafood?
It just fit into my general interest in sustainability with our food resources.

How would you describe your philosophy on ocean conservation?
To try to make informed decisions about purchasing and to steer away from the troubled fisheries. There are a lot of troubled fisheries, but I try to make choices that support the ones that are most sustainable.

Has your philosophy changed what fish you serve?
To some degree. There are some species that I probably use sparingly. Chilean sea bass, for instance, is one that I just don’t use, but there are others, like swordfish, that I go years without using, and then I’ll use it only for a very short time.

Have your diners noticed?
I don’t think so. I think because my menu is generally very locally focused, I think it’s always been that way.

Do you feel it limits what you can offer?
Not really. I feel like in some ways it’s good to have guidelines and parameters to work within.

Have your seafood purveyors worked with you on getting sustainably caught seafood?
Yes, I think pretty much that they have. They certainly have worked with me in helping to keep me informed.

Why are you a Seafood Choices member?
For information, and to stay up to date on issues.