SoDel Chef Ruley attends summit on sustainable seafood

Doug Ruley, vice president of SoDel Concepts, recently attended an invitation-only summit on sustainable seafood sponsored by the James Beard Foundation.

At the June 5 event held in Washington, D.C., seafood experts, academics, chefs and purveyors discussed the issues in both domestic and international fisheries."Seven of our 10 concepts focus on seafood, and all of our restaurants showcase seafood dishes," said Ruley. "Sustainability is of critical importance to our business and the environment."

This is not the first time Ruley has been invited to attend a James Beard Foundation event. In 2016, he traveled to Montana to participate in the Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change.

"The James Beard Foundation does an excellent job of bringing together stakeholders in our industry, from the farmer to the chef," said Scott Kammerer, president of SoDel Concepts. "That's an approach that we practice on a local level at our company, whether it's sitting down with policymakers or working with local growers."

The James Beard Foundation has also invited Ruley to cook at the James Beard House in New York City on four occasions. "It is an honor just to be invited once," said Kammerer. "That Doug has received so many invitations from the James Beard Foundation demonstrates his talent and his passion for the industry."

For more information, go to www.sodelconcepts.com.