Jamie Malone Wins Cooking Light's Sustainability Award

Cooking Light magazine recently announced the winners of its 2013 Trailblazing Chef Awards, and Minneapolis's own Jamie Malone was among the winners, bringing home the Sustainability Award for her work at downtown restaurant Sea Change (known for, what else, its sustainable seafood program). The accompanying profile reflects on her philosophy toward sustainability, and also on her food.

On sustainability, Malone tells Cooking Light: "Ninety-five percent of our seafood meets the standards set out by the Marine Stewardship Council or Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, but I always leave a little wiggle room to vote with my pocketbook for the little guy who is doing things the right way but has not achieved the label yet."

And on the food, Cooking Light says: "Close your eyes and take a bite, and you'll think you're eating in San Francisco or New York: Malone's cooking is a startling mix of traditional and forward-leaning. A velvety-smooth chawanmushi (steamed custard) is studded with lobster and scallops set off by a hint of bacon. Risotto-like smoked farro with almonds is perfectly earthy and robust on its own, then brightened by roasted grapes into a real center-of-the-plate satisfier. You eat the last bite reflecting on the surprise of Malone's cuisine: thoughtful, sensible, and completely unexpected."

Malone was also named one of Food & Wine's best new chefs earlier this year.
· Chef Jamie Malone: The Sustainability Award 2013 [Cooking Light]
· All Coverage of Jamie Malone [Eater MPLS]