FOOD AND WINE EVENT

AN EXCLUSIVE LIZARD ISLAND
FOOD AND WINE EVENT
17 MAY - 21 MAY, 2016
RICK MOONEN
CHEF, RESTAURATEUR,
AUTHOR
Chef Rick has devoted his career to being a
leading culinary advocate for sustainable seafood
in the United States. A native New Yorker,
Moonen graduated first in his class from the
Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New
York in 1978.
In the ensuing years, Moonen continued his career
in New York, becoming executive chef at some
of the city’s most iconic restaurants, including Le
Relais, Century Café, Chelsea Central and The
Water Club. He received three stars from the
New York times as executive chef and partner at
Oceana and later Molyvos, a Greek fish house,
which was the first Greek restaurant to earn three
stars from The New York Times.
Seafood remained his passion – and drove Rick to create his own restaurant, rm, which quickly garnered
critical acclaim in New York – again receiving three stars from The New York Times. The allure and
challenge of Las Vegas beckoned so Rick took his passion and reputation to the West Coast opening a
multi-level restaurant Rick Moonen’s rm seafood at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The lower level of the
restaurant serving “State of the Art Sustainable Seafood” and a world-class sushi and raw bar and the
upper more elegant dining experience featured globally inspired cuisine (which transformed in 2013 to a
steampunk inspired restaurant)
When not behind the stove, Moonen can be found throughout the country educating about ocean
conservation and the dangers of over fishing. As an industry leader, he has testified for environmental and
sustainability policy issues in Washington, DC and New York. He is a founding member of the Seafood
Choices Alliances, which named him “Seafood Champion” in 2006, as well as an active member of
Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch and Seaweb. In 2010 Moonen was part of a PBS Series,
“Chef’s A Field,” that was honored with a James Beard Foundation award for his hosted episode in
Alaska about Salmon. During this same year Moonen was also honored at the International Chefs
Conference with The Community Award presented by StarChefs.com. In 2014, Moonen partnered as a
brand ambassador with True North Salmon.
lizardisland.com.au/foodandwine
AN EXCLUSIVE LIZARD ISLAND
FOOD AND WINE EVENT
17 MAY - 21 MAY, 2016
The opportunity to come to not just Australia – but to the Great Barrier Reef and select and prepare
some of the world’s most beautiful seafood is a dream come true. I am arriving well in advance of
the Food Event to personally meet with Chef Mark and Markus’ supply partners to get to explore
and cook the wonderful seafood and other local flavours. I am hoping that there will be guests who
actually catch their own fish during the event and bring it back so we can cook it together. More about Rick Moonen
Chef Moonen has enjoyed national attention and acclaim. In 2008, Moonen accomplished a lifelong dream
with the publication of his cookbook Fish Without a Doubt, a practical, hands-on guide to buying, preparing
and cooking a wide array of fish. That same year his signature Catfish Sloppy Joe was highlighted in Esquire
magazine’s “Sandwich Encyclopedia,” prompting a guest spot on The Oprah Winfrey Show where he served
the talk show queen this signature dish and it earned the title of “Best Sandwich in America.” In 2009 he
was a guest judge on Bravo’s Top Chef Las Vegas and later that year was a contestant on Top Chef Masters.
In 2010, Rick was invited back to compete on Top Chef Masters 2, where he was the runner-up, raising
both national awareness and thousands of dollars for Three Square Las Vegas.
Moonen has been featured in Food & Wine, SAVEUR, Bon Appetit, Food Arts, USA Today, Travel +
Leisure, and seen on Food Network’s Best Thing I Ever Ate, Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, TODAY,
Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Dan Rather Reports, and CNN. In addition, he has received
numerous awards for his tireless efforts towards sustainability including Chef of the Year by the Monterey
Bay Aquarium in 2011; and Humanitarian of the Year by the American Culinary Federation in 2013. In
2014, he was appointed to Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Blue Ribbon Task Force as one of the top twenty
leading culinarians; inducted into the American Culinary Federation’s Hall of Fame; honored with the
prestigious Vegas Dozen award by Saks Fifth Avenue, Greenspun Media Group, VEGAS Magazine, and
Keep Memory Alive; top ten must-know chefs of the American West by theculturetrip.com; and nominated
for the 2014 Silver State Award’s Best Chef. Keep up with Rick at Facebook.com/ChefRickMoonen, on
Twitter @RickMoonen and online at www.rmseafood.com.
lizardisland.com.au/foodandwine