Ned Bell – hero

Chef Ned Bell literally rolled into Toronto last Thursday, almost exactly a month after setting off from St. John’s in his bid to cycle across Canada, all to raise awareness about the parlous state of the fish in our beautiful oceans. It was great to see him looking so amazingly fit and spry – every inch the athlete. I don’t think I’ve seen a guy in such good shape since hanging out with Simon Whitfield at the Beijing Olympics. His bike was on display in one of the larger party rooms at the Four Seasons hotel (Ned is currently Executive Chef of the Vancouver Four Seasons) and it was there that scores of us gathered to welcome him. Paul Boehmer and Martin Kouprie represented the chefly community and there were some fine speeches made. Isadore Sharp was inspiring, reminding us that other movements for change had started with a courageous individual’s gesture. Many people recalled Sharp’s lifelong support for Terry Fox. And Dolf Dejong, vice president, Conservation and Education at the Vancouver Aquarium, made a persuasive appeal for support in the struggle to encourage sustainable fisheries. As Ned said, we can all make it happen by innumerable personal decisions, by asking your waiter next time you order fish in a restaurant if the species is sustainably caught, by politely suggesting your fishmonger wise up about the virtues of some creatures over others. Many righteous and responsible scientific predictions point to empty oceans by 2048 if we don’t get our act together, which would be a tragedy for our grandchildren – even worse for the two billion humans who rely on the sea for their daily source of protein. Ned has two-and-a-half months more cycling to go before he reaches Vancouver. You can follow his progress (and find useful data) at chefsforoceans.com, as well as keep tags on the 20 special events in which he is taking part across the country. “In 20 years,” said Ned, “we could have every person in Canada eating sustainable seafood.” Ned’s cycling 8,000 k for the cause; we just to have eat for it, albeit in a more informed manner than we’re used to doing. No problemo.