Is farmed or wild-caught salmon better? Is tuna being overfished? Do I have to worry about mercury poisoning? Is seafood high in protein? Is industrial aquaculture sustainable? How can I do anything to address the climate change and food security crises? Is it okay to eat raw fish? How do you shuck an oyster? Is frozen seafood good? How do you cook mackerel without it stinking up the kitchen?
The answers are clear in Hope in the Water: The Blue Food Cookbook. In celebration of the fish, shellfish, and plants we eat from our oceans, lakes, and rivers (in other words, blue food) and in collaboration with the PBS docuseries Hope in the Water, award-winning chef and TV host Andrew Zimmern and leading sustainable seafood expert and educator Barton Seaver present a seafood bible looking at blue food from water to plate: a tangible, delicious cookbook for how to best buy, prepare, and cook from our oceans and waterways sustainably.
With a comprehensive guide to culinary categories of fish, how to best set up your kitchen, what you should have in your pantry, different cooking techniques, and more than 145 delicious recipes, this first-of-its-kind cookbook is all you need to cook seafood confidently and responsibly. Recipes span from humble meals to impressive fare for entertaining, from traditional dishes to creative takes—even desserts (trust!)—inspired by flavors from Zimmern’s and Barton’s travel around the world, restaurant experience, and their home kitchens, for blue food of all kinds, including tinned fish, shellfish, fillet fish, seaweed, and beyond:
- Butternut Squash and Mussel Soup
- Fish and Chips, but Make It Salad
- Seafood Pot Pie
- Halibut with Green Goddess Dressing
- Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Nashville Hot-Inspired Catfish
- Miso Broiled Carp
- Sockeye Salmon Enchiladas
- Vietnamese Caramelized Shrimp
- Chocolate Chip Kelp Brownies
A lusciously photographed and beautifully illustrated tome, Hope in the Water is a definitive must-have for every home cook looking to enjoy delicious, nutritious seafood more sustainably.
“Andrew Zimmern and Barton Seaver have together written a book that is beyond my wildest expectations! I am first and foremost a pescatarian, and I now have what I consider a modern cookbook covering most of my questions relating to seafood: a glossary of edible types, where they are from, fresh or frozen, farmed or wild, how to source, how to buy, what did your fish of choice eat, how to cook it, how to season it, how to serve it. I am looking forward to trying every recipe and utilizing every suggestion! Thank you, Andrew and Barton.” —Martha Stewart
“The Blue Food Cookbook is a love letter to our oceans and the people who both protect and depend on them. Through informative facts and delicious recipes, this book shows us the importance of sustainable fishing practices and how we can maximize the diversity of our marine ecosystem, ultimately benefiting the well-being of all.” —Chef Eric Ripert
“Andrew and Barton are a superhero duo…and here they are teaming up to take on one of the most important missions of our time, teaching us how to be respectful of one of our planet’s most amazing resources, the sea…while still encouraging us to enjoy its fruits.” —Chef José Andrés
“The Blue Food Cookbook isn’t just a cookbook. It’s a guide, a resource, a rallying cry—and a love letter to sustainable eating. Andrew Zimmern and Barton Seaver are a powerhouse pair—and two of the most passionate voices I know when it comes to caring for our planet. They’ve poured their lifetimes of advocacy, storytelling, and real-world kitchen smarts into these pages. The recipes feel like you’re sitting in on a conversation between old friends—different styles, same mission: keep it simple, make it thoughtfully, and always, always make it delicious.” —Carla Hall, chef, author, TV personality
“For three decades, Andrew Zimmern has used his culinary gifts to bring the world into our hearts and minds—via our stomachs. Now, he and co-author Barton Seaver bring us the sea. Buy The Blue Food Cookbook not only because you love to eat, but also because you care about our planet.” —Dan Buettner, National Geographic Fellow and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Blue Zones
“As an advocate for sustainability and the preservation of our homelands, oceans and Native culture, I wholeheartedly endorse The Blue Food Cookbook by Andrew Zimmern and Barton Seaver. This book not only showcases mouthwatering recipes but also highlights the vital importance of blue foods in supporting healthy and thriving ecosystems. It’s a must-have guide to enjoying delicious, ocean-friendly meals while helping protect our blue planet.” —Dune Lankard, Fisherman, Kelper, Social Change Artist, and 2025 James Beard Foundation Impact Award Recipient
