Bluefin tuna are as endangered as rhinos and tigers
The celeb-favourite sushi restaurant Nobu is back in the media spotlight this week, but with column inches devoted to bluefin tuna rather than A-list diners.
As we revealed last year, Nobu, who pride themselves as market leaders and an exclusive venue, were serving up bluefin tuna as sushi. Bluefin is an endangered species, like rhinos, tigers, or gorillas, and after we pointed this out to them last September (although the species had been on the IUCN red list of endangered species for 12 years, had they bothered to check), they assured us that they would do something about it. But sadly it seems Nobu can't be bothered. They know they are serving up endangered species, and helping to push them towards extinction, but profit comes first, right?
The irony is that Nobu's menus for its London's restaurants seem to be more than a little conflicted over the issue. They actually tell you that they are selling an endangered species (although it's not that easy to know which dishes contain what), and suggest you may want to choose an alternative… all of which begs the question, why not just take it off the menu completely?
Elsewhere they are even more brazen, in the US they happily list 'bluefin' and 'bigeye' tuna dishes on the menu. Both species are endangered.
Nobu is part-owned by actor Robert De Niro, and its restaurants are frequented by almost every celebrity you can think of, from Posh & Becks to Lewis Hamilton, and from Matt Damon to Kate Moss. The restaurant's image is very important to them, so you would think they would show a little concern over what they were dishing up. Major supermarkets like Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer are now taking the sourcing of the seafood they sell seriously, while other restaurateurs like Gordon Ramsay, Itsu, and Tom Aikens are all eschewing bluefin – so what on earth are Nobu playing at? Its discerning A-list diners should be up in arms.
With Nobu's high-profile hypocrisy getting a starring role in the End Of The Line film which premieres in the UK next month, even more eyes will be fixed on Nobu to do the sensible thing and take bluefin off the menu completely. Last year Nobu's partner Richie Notar told us he thought Nobu could be leading the way on sustainability, and wanted to find a way forward on this issue. So Richie, and Mr De Niro, we're waiting … the ball's been in your court for quite a while now.
