PORTLAND, OR (APRIL 30, 2024) – Blue Cove Preserves has received the 2024 Good Food Award in the fish category from the Good Food Foundation. Ceremony honorees included Dana Cowin, Alice Waters, Joan Nathan and Ari Weinzweig.
Blue Cove Preserves is one of 215 award recipients from a pool of over 2,000 entrants. Over 200 Good Food Awards judges meticulously evaluated submissions across 18 categories. The 2024 Finalists represent a diverse array of culinary traditions, techniques, and regions, embodying excellence within their craft.
Created by the Good Food Foundation, a 501 (c) 3 organization, the Good Food Awards are designed to celebrate foods that are “tasty, authentic, and responsibly produced.” Good Food Awards winners must be made without genetically modified ingredients, using good animal husbandry practices (without the use of artificial ingredients, hormones, synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer) and be crafted in the USA.
Above: Founder Stephanie Fels photographed with Dana Cowin (former Editor in Chief of Food & Wine, award-winning author and podcast host), Joan Nathan (writer for The New York Times & Tablet Magazine, award-winning author) and Sarah Weiner (Executive Director, Good Food Foundation).
Blue Cove Preserves is an artisanal brand of tinned fish, with a line of fillets of branzino, locally sourced and hand-packed in olive oil and fine herbs. The brand has two products currently available: Branzino with olives and fine herbs; and Branzino with piquillo peppers and herbs.
Having grown up in a multicultural home between her parents’ native countries of France and Ecuador, Founder Stephanie Fels created Blue Cove Preserves to mimic the quality of the conservas culture she grew up with, but sustainably produced and crafted in the United States, where she now lives.
“The idea for Blue Cove came during one of my regular family visits in France. We cracked open some high-quality tins of seafood and served them alongside charcuterie and fine cheese. I realized that this culinary tradition didn’t really exist in the US, nor were there high-quality options here. Others have also had this idea because I launched in September 2023, right in the middle of the tinned fish craze, but it’s wonderful to see that as people try my product, the overwhelming response is that they find it to be extraordinary. I’m really grateful to be among the Good Food Award recipients within the first year to market - it’s an incredible honor,” says Stephanie Fels.
Blue Cove’s branzino fishery, located in Connecticut, applies Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) Technology, which ensures hormone-free, GMO-free, and chemical-free fish. Their closed-loop system has the most optimal waste management of any form of fish production. Branzino, which is a European fish originally, is a great source of essential fatty acids, protein, minerals and fat-soluble vitamins (A, E, and D).
Olio di Cucina, a versatile blend of extra virgin and refined olive oil designed for chefs, is filled to the top of each tin of Blue Cove Preserves. The result is a beautiful, balanced European-style tinned fish, which sets it apart in the US market..
With an unparalleled commitment to honoring artisans who push the boundaries of taste, quality, and ethical production, this year's Good Food Awards selection showcases the best of the best in the culinary landscape.
“These exceptional producers have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to not only creating extraordinary flavors but also to sustainable practices, supporting their communities, and fostering transparency throughout their supply chains. This year's Finalists are true leaders in the good food movement.” said Sarah Weiner, Executive Director of the Good Food Foundation.