Barton Seaver facts for kids

Barton Seaver (born April 12, 1979) is a well-known author, speaker, and chef. He lives and works in Maine, where he focuses on helping people understand how to eat in a way that's good for them and for the planet.

Growing Up and Learning to Cook

Barton Seaver grew up in Washington, D.C. He went to the The Culinary Institute of America in New York, which is a famous school for chefs. He graduated in 2001 and even taught classes there about cooking meat and fish.

After culinary school, Barton worked in restaurants in big cities like Chicago and New York. He also traveled to southern Spain and Morocco. There, he learned from local people, working on fishing boats and in small family restaurants. This experience helped him see how food connects to communities and the environment.

Cooking with a Purpose

From Restaurants to a Mission

In 2005, Barton returned to Washington, D.C., and worked with famous chefs. He became the head chef at several restaurants, including Hook. At Hook, he made it a point to serve many different kinds of seafood – 78 species in one year! This showed his early interest in using a variety of seafood, not just the most common ones.

Later, Barton decided to shift his focus away from just running restaurants. He wanted to spend more time promoting ideas about sustainability, which means using resources (like fish) in a way that doesn't harm the environment for the future. He also focused on wellness (being healthy) and community through food.

What is Sustainable Seafood?

Sustainable seafood means choosing fish and shellfish that are caught or farmed in ways that don't hurt the ocean or the animals in it. It's about making sure there will be enough fish for everyone, for a long time. Barton Seaver became a big champion for this idea. He even won an award called the Seafood Champion Award in 2008 for his work.

Sharing His Knowledge

Barton Seaver has worked with many important groups to share his message about food and the environment.

Working with National Geographic

Since 2010, Barton has been a fellow with National Geographic. This means he works with them on projects. He helped create a guide called the "Seafood Decision Guide." This guide helps people choose seafood that is healthy for them and good for the environment. He also hosts a web series called "Cook-Wise" for National Geographic, where he shares cooking tips.

Writing Books

Barton Seaver has written several books about cooking and sustainable food. His first book, For Cod and Country, is a cookbook with recipes that are good for the environment. He also wrote Where There's Smoke, which is about grilling.

He has even written books especially for young readers! In 2014, he published Foods for Health and the National Geographic Kid's Cookbook. These books help kids learn about healthy eating and where their food comes from. His most recent book, American Seafood, is a big guide to seafood in America.

Speaking and Television

Barton Seaver often gives talks about sustainable seafood. He gave a famous TED Talk on a ship, talking about how important it is to protect our oceans. He also spoke at a big conference hosted by the U.S. Department of State, where he even prepared a special menu using less common, sustainable fish from Maine.

You might have also seen him on TV! He has appeared on shows like "Anderson Cooper 360" and "Moveable Feast," sharing his knowledge about food and the environment.

His Life Today

Barton Seaver lives in Maine with his wife, Carrie Anne, and their son. He continues to work on projects that help people make better choices about the food they eat, especially seafood, for a healthier planet.