Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/306537
introduce new audiences to marine wonders. The Monterey Bay Aquarium offers free admission to 80,000 schoolchildren annually— that's more two million students since 1984—and another 17,000 preschoolers have participated in the innovative Splash Zone/Head Start Discovery program. Young Women in Science and the Student Ocean- ography Club are among the teen programs that offer rich educational experiences. Sleepovers, tours and youth scuba outings organized under the Aquarium Adventures umbrella present exclusive exhibit access too. Three decades after the aquarium opened, research and conservation efforts continue to shape outreach at all levels. The independent MBARI studies ocean life on the California coast. Sea otter, white shark and tuna research programs examine the needs of and threats to significant marine populations. Since 1999, pocket guides produced through the Seafood Watch initiative have helped millions of consumers, restaurants and distributors make smart, sustain- able seafood choices. That goal of inspiring ocean con- ser vation remains as impor tant t o d a y a s i t w a s 3 0 y e a r s a g o . "Through education, our hope is that future generations will be able to share in the responsibility of tak- ing care of Monterey Bay. Staff and volunteers also help visitors appre- ciate the wealth that's right here," says Barrett. 106 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 S ome of the countr y's biggest culinar y stars will promote sustainability during the Monterey Bay Aquarium's 13th annual Cooking for Solutions celebration, May 16-18. Alton Brown, John Ash and " To p C h e f : A l l S t a r s " w i n n e r Richard Blais are among 90 chefs participating in the three-day affair, which includes new VIP events, tours and workshops. The week- end opens with a popular Friday night gala among the aquarium's galleries. Ticketholders are treated to gourmet fare, craft beer and wine, plus live music, take- home gifts and access to a dedicated sushi lounge. Silent and online auctions tied to the event feature food and wine experiences, and two pre-gala gatherings for aquarium mem- bers promise exclusive access to guest chefs. A series of countywide culinary tours top Saturday's schedule, and chefs will lead several do-it-yourself workshops that teach guests new cooking skills. A salon series touches on topics ranging from bacon to chocolate to honeybee health, and the street food event that debuted in 2013 returns with casual food and drink served in a festive, bay-view venue. Also new this year is a Saturday night party hosted by chef and author Alton Brown, complete with food, cock- tails, music and dancing. Additional workshops and salon seminars take place on Sunday, and aquarium guests can expect cook- ing demonstrations, book signings and related events all weekend long. As always, the goal is to teach consumers how their food choices impact ocean health, while also getting them in touch with well- known culinary figures. "The thing we continue to do is get our food fanatics closer and closer to the per sonalities they've come to see," says Monterey Bay Aquarium Spokesper son Angela Hains. Tickets and a full Cooking for Solutions schedule are at www.cookingforsolutions.org or 831/647-6886. — Renee Brincks MBA Serves Up Delicious, Sustainable Fare Chef Jeremy Tummel of Pebble Beach Resort's Stillwater Bar & Grill at the 2013 Cooking For Solutions Gala. Large adult specimen of bigfin reef squid in the special exhibit "Tentacles" at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Photo: Monterey Bay Aquarium / Tyson V. Rininger Photo: Monterey Bay Aquarium /Randy Tunnell 102-106 MB Aquarium_152-161 Garcia story 4/21/14 9:47 AM Page 5