Funded by North Carolina Sea Grant, this event spotlights seafood purveyors and chefs, highlighting the many roles and skills required to move seafood from the ocean to the plate, and the many benefits of eating local seafood.

Following the event, attendees are invited to experience a "Chef's Takeover" cooking demonstration and seafood tasting in Wagoner Dining Hall. Wagoner Dining Hall is open to visitors for the cost of admission or with a meal swipe. 

“We are excited to partner with the folks at UNCW Dining for this event,” said NC Catch President Barbara Garrity-Blake. “Our board member John Mallette has been demonstrating how to butcher fish and cook seafood to students across the UNC System, and he was instrumental in making this upcoming event a priority.” 

“We dig deep into the legacy of Black contributions and experiences in the seafood industry,” said project co-leader and NC Catch board member John Mallette, “and we want to teach young people about sustainable seafood.”  

Event Participants 

Panelists 

• John Mallette is co-owner of Southern Breeze Seafood in Jacksonville, NC.  
• Herman Manley of Hertford, NC, is co-owner of Crackn Crab Seafood with his wife Quinnetta “Mermaid Q” Manley.
• Quinnetta “Mermaid Q” Manley works side by side with her husband in Herford as a commercial fisherman and seafood retailer. 
• Quincy Rhodes, a Wilmington native, works as a seafood processor and floor manager at Seaview Crab Co.

Moderator 

• Barbara Garrity-Blake, president of NC Catch and project co-leader with John Mallette, is a cultural anthropologist, author and musician dedicated to educating the public about fishing communities and culture. 

Chefs (all are project partners and NC Catch Chef Ambassadors)

• Jamie Davis is executive chef at the Hackney Restaurant in Washington, NC. He was a 2024 finalist for the James Beard Best Chef in the Southeast Award. 
• Keith Rhodes, James Beard Finalist for Best Chef, is founder of Catch Restaurant in his hometown of Wilmington. He brings his “shore to table” approach to the UNCW campus at his Tackle Box Kitchen.  
• Captain John Mallette is a lifelong commercial fisherman and waterman, who has fished across the Atlantic Ocean. He owns Southern Breeze Seafood, which focuses on sustainable fishing practices.  

About NC Catch 

NC Catch is a non-profit organization founded in 2011 with the mission to educate consumers about the benefits of eating North Carolina seafood.