Lucas Glanville

An advocate for preserving the planet for future generations, when Lucas became Director of Culinary Operations at Grand Hyatt Singapore in 2010, he immediately initiated a review of the hotel's food sources as part of its food philosophy. His work was recognised by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and the MSC when the hotel was awarded the Chain of Custody certification by both bodies in 2015.  

Lucas is a contributor to the MSCs Blue Cookbook of sustainable seafood recipes.

When and how did sustainability first become important to you?

Sustainability has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up by a beach in Australia enjoying a sustainable lifestyle even before the word ‘sustainable’ got fashionable! I have my parents to thank who connected deeply with the environment and led by example with the dining choices they made for the family. When I entered the culinary world, I witnessed what was happening to our oceans and fish stocks. Overfishing, pollution and insatiable market demand were causing a decline in certain species and sizes of fish that we used. It was unacceptable. We cannot continue to enjoy seafood if there is no more seafood to be enjoyed! Using seafood that is seasonal, local and in abundance should be and must be the only future. Because realistically there is no other choice.

What made you decide to get involved with the MSC?

My biggest challenge in the early days was going against the flow. But it was the only way to bring about change. Identifying truly sustainable fish was difficult as most were certified by the fisheries themselves. The cost was also much higher then. But it became easier when people understood the benefits of quality-driven, sustainable ingredients. It was a huge help when the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) was formed in 1997. To have a market-based program that independently certifies a seafood or fishery as sustainable is something I truly appreciate and rely on.

The work the MSC does is invaluable to anyone embracing this journey. It sets a globally recognised, science-based standard for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability. Its blue fish eco-label on a seafood product guarantees that it comes from a wild-catch fishery which has been independently certified to their standards for environmentally sustainable fishing. This label is now on more than 100 species of seafood in 100 countries. That’s a huge support to all of us who demand responsibly-sourced seafood.

That’s why Hyatt uses the MSC as our sustainable seafood benchmark for all Hyatt hotels globally. As the Group continues to grow its sustainable seafood menus worldwide, it helps that the MSC is accelerating their certification for more fisheries worldwide and assuring more sustainable options reach markets.

Why is it important to inspire and encourage people to cook healthy and sustainable seafood?

We have placed great pressure on the world’s oceans to deliver, and we are consuming seafood quicker than it can be reproduced or replaced with little regard for future generations. It is important for all of us, including restaurants and individuals, to review the species we consume and ensure they are viable for years to come. Just as we should care for our personal health and wellness by eating right with quality and fresh ingredients, we must align this with the care we give to our oceans and biodiversity.

What advice would you give to someone who is new to cooking seafood?

Less is more, you can always cook more seafood if it is not enough, but you cannot cook less of it once it is overdone! Seafood is a gentle protein and should be nurtured over a lower heat when cooking, which is a completely different approach to cooking meat on high heat.

Meet all the Ocean Ambassadors

From award-winning chefs to adventurers to photographers, the Ocean Ambassadors are united by a love of the oceans and the seafood they bring us. Meet these advocates of healthy, sustainable seas.