This year, Executive Chef Frank Pabst celebrates the 17th anniversary of his sustainable seafood menu. Aptly named “Unsung Heroes”, Pabst initially created the month-long event to bring awareness to local and unique seafoods and to avoid species that are over-fished or harvested in ways that can damage ocean beds. It is now one of the most-anticipated events on the city’s culinary calendar.

Renowned for championing British Columbia’s sustainable seafood movement, Blue Water Cafe is a founding member of the Vancouver Aquarium’s ‘Ocean Wise’ conservation program. The restaurant strives to educate guests on seafood sustainability while providing an exceptional dining experience. Every year, Blue Water Cafe donates partial proceeds from Unsung Heroes to the Ocean Wise program.

In prior years, the Unsung Heroes menu has consisted of dishes such as red sea urchin trifle, stir-fried jellyfish and poached periwinkles. Always aggressively raising the bar, chef Pabst promises new flavours each year with previously unavailable ingredients, including whelk paella, steamed gooseneck barnacles and sustainably-raised sturgeon liver mousse.