Remarkably, yet routinely, Monterey County spawns interesting events within its borders, events that feed on the abundant regenerative energy of this exquisite meeting of land, sea and air. Festivals, conferences and events of all types thrive in our Monterey Bay ecosystem—which includes both the both the ecological and economic—just like the wild and cultivated life across its hills and fields and the magnificent diversity of creatures below the waves.

One such event is Cooking for Solutions, a yearly gathering of global minded gastronomes, each concerned about how our planet is contending with its shrinking resources—especially those related to feeding its population. The fact that these conventioneers also dedicate themselves to maximizing the more pleasurable aspects of such a noble endeavor only elevates this particular festival in the hearts and minds of food and wine aficionados.

For what is the point of sustainability—assurance that life will go on—if the result is merely survival? The talents gathered this weekend instead would opt for a future ripe with the joyful expressions of purely-grown produce, flappingly-fresh fishes, well-rounded wines, unfettered fowl and creative methods of converting them into works of gastronomic art.

Throughout the weekend, top talents from the cosmically interwoven worlds of farming, fishing, ranching, fooding, graping, selling and writing will be harmonizing their synergistic mix of the latest sustainable hits. Attendees will learn what’s happening from the likes of the Two Hot Tamales, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feninger, working with our own Tony Baker of Montrio. Says the affable Chef Baker, “I’ve been doing the event from the get-go and it’s a lot of fun meeting and working with other chefs from out of town. I’ll get a recipe from my assigned visiting chef, then I’ll source the ingredients and we’ll prep it at Montrio, then I’ll work with them at the Gala. We mix a lot of good wine with a lot of good food.”

Wine is a big part of the event. The methods of farming used in grape growing determine the longevity and ultimate health of the vines and, more importantly, the ground in which they grow. Industry heavyweights like Susan Sokol Blosser and Volker Eisele will speak to festival-goers about those and other important related topics.

Celebrity plays an important part. For some, celebrity means Martin Yan, television’s longest running celebrity chef, whose Yan Can Cook series on PBS predates anything on the Food Network. For others, celebrity means John Cleese, noted actor, comedian and scholar, who was once quoted as saying: “If God did not intend for us to eat animals, then why did he make them out of meat?”

Arguably, the most important part of the event is seafood. Wendy Brodie, one of our treasured local celebrities, understands the meaning of it all: “I’m so delighted so many chefs are joining the information bandwagon so we can enjoy seafood for the rest of our lives. To get together and see what all the chefs around the country are doing—we have such a great camaraderie—it’s great to be able to see what we have all been reading about.”

What we’ve all been reading about, in addition to the great innovations Chef Brodie’s peers throughout the culinary world are creating, is the effects of over fishing on the oceans’ seemingly endless supply of seafood. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is the leading institution guiding the industry. Its Seafood Watch is the barometer used to read the current state of species’ availability. Blessed with the latest technological advancements in detection and research, the Aquarium takes a scientific approach. On a more personal and intuitive level, the observations of one local fishing couple ring just as profoundly.

Jeannette and Donny Dommer fished these waters for more than 40 years. They remember when they’d catch 50-pound Halibut right there in the Monterey Bay. (“Now, they catch one about 25-pounds and they think they’ve got a giant.”) I sat across from them at Passionfish, where their daughter Cindy and her husband Ted Walter lead the Seafood Watch charge among restaurants of any bent. I watched the tears well up in Donny’s eyes as he related how “those gill nets that they started to use just drag up everything in sight. So many fish would die.”

Jeannette lamented: “Why couldn’t they be used to feed people in the shelters or in places where folks didn’t have enough food? It just doesn’t make any sense.”

That’s why so many people whose passion and livelihood depend upon items that grow, swim and roam convene here every year to feed this burgeoning event, to nurture it and guide it so that it may grow up to teach us all that most valuable lesson: if there is no more left, that’s the end.

COOKING FOR SOLUTIONS RUNS FROM 6PM FRIDAY, MAY 20 THROUGH 7PM SATURDAY, MAY 21 AT THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM, THE MONTEREY PLAZA HOTEL, THE COMMERCIAL WHARF, AND OTHER LOCATIONS. EVENT PRICES VARY. THE SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD INFORMATION FAIR RUNS ALL DAY SATURDAY AT THE AQUARIUM AND IS FREE WITH ADMISSION. 647-6886 OR MBAYAQ.ORG FOR DETAILS.