Dine On Plastic. It's Fantastic.

Posted by Kara Pecknold | 2 Aug 2010 | Comments (1)

Plastic Dining Room While the world witnessed Plastiki's journey from San Francisco to Sydney, Vancouver has been hosting visitors on the world's first floating dining room. This elegant raft sits on top of 1700 plastic bottles, which are set in a frame made from reclaimed pinewood. Moored at the False Creek Yacht Club, next to its restaurant partner C, this plastic dining room offers twelve guests a six-course sustainable seafood meal and a little bit more. Shannon Ronalds, the founder of The School of Fish Foundation is on a mission to impact the seafood industry by educating the chefs of the future.

When asked how he came up with the idea for the structure, Shannon said he wanted to bring the issue of how plastics were impacting the ocean a little closer to home. After looking at images of outdoor patio scenes, he used his Photoshop 101 skills to create a visualization of the concept he had in his head. By collaborating with Loki Ocean Marine Surveyors and Yacht Designers, he was able to determine how many plastic bottles would be needed to keep this raft afloat.

He told us that when he presented the idea to city council some were skeptical. But Shannon's passion for impacting the system, caused him to push through and obtain all the necessary permits (14) required to open the dining room to the public. The sustainable seafood meal is paired with organic and biodynamic wines and has been developed as a way to fundraise for the School of Fish Foundation's educational aspirations:

Persuade culinary schools throughout the world to include a comprehensive sustainable seafood course as a requirement prior to graduation.

Provide the curriculum and subject materials for this required course in order to bring change to the restaurant industry worldwide.

Provide schools with all of the support and scientific data that is available by working closely with established marine conservation organizations.

Dining Room Area

What is the future for this fancy floater? Shannon speculates that it could be auctioned off but has also had requests from various waterfront cities to replicate the idea. Since he sees this as a global conversation, don't be surprised to find a floating dining room popping up in your city sometime soon.

Meals occur nightly in Vancouver from July to September.