The Michelin-starred Emporio Armani Caffé & Ristorante in Paris has chosen ASC certified fresh seabass and seabream sourced from Croatia’s Cromaris, which operates seven fish farms off the Adriatic coast.
Emporio Armani Caffé & Ristorante puts a strong emphasis on premium quality and responsibly produced ingredients. Fruits and vegetables are sourced from local permaculture, while meat and seafood are also sourced responsibly. Manager Matthieu Mori and executive chef Massimo Tringali prefer fish from ASC certified farms.
‘ASC’s work allows us to select top-level suppliers. The Cromaris product has low percentages of fat and a very delicate taste,’ Massimo Tringali said.
‘It’s an excellent fish, and it is ASC certified, so we know it is responsibly farmed.’
‘We decided to source ASC certified fish first because we believe it is important to integrate aquaculture into our sourcing,’ Matthieu Mori added.
‘At the same time, it is important for us to choose sustainable aquaculture. That is why we need the support of ASC to help us identify responsible farms.’
Emporio Armani Caffé & Ristorante has also achieved MSC Chain of Custody certification, which proves its commitment to sustainable sourcing. This certification assures consumers and seafood-buyers that ASC labelled products come from a certified responsible farm.
‘Our Chain of Custody Certification is an added value for our restaurant and an assurance for our customers that the fish we serve comes from a responsible, ASC certified farm. To obtain it we had to follow different rules to prove the fish we claim to be certified actually is certified,’ Matthieu Mori explained.
‘For instance, we had to install separate refrigerators and train the teams to set the certified products apart from the other products. Then we had to do an audit by an independent third-party to confirm that we were complying with these rules.’
Cromaris has its own delivery system that enables a buyer to place an order one day, and the fish is harvested the next day. The same day as harvest, or possibly the day after, the fish is delivered – fresh, unfrozen – to the buyer’s door.
With ASC certification across all seven of their farms, Cromaris commits not just to delivering quality fish but also to their social and environmental goals.
‘The ASC certification plays into everything that we do on the farm,” said Ivana Šimunović, marine biologist at Cromaris.
‘We’re already working to extremely strict standards, but it adds an extra check and balance, and if we fail to comply with any of the ASC requirements, we risk losing our certification. We pay great attention to fish feed. Years of hard work and perfecting of the feed formulation has resulted in fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids and a positive ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These fish are getting the best nutrition possible.’
