2025 Blue Hour:
The Culinary Arts of Blue Food
A Celebration Honoring Chef Andrew Zimmern
Saturday, September 27
Land’s End at the AltaSea Campus
5:30pm – 10:00pm
2451 Signal Street, Berth 60
AltaSea produces an annual fundraiser, Blue Hour, bringing a unique spectacle to life. The inaugural event took place in 2020 during the Covid pandemic, featuring a drive-in experience where the live ocean floor was digitally projected onto the Battleship USS Iowa, while accompanied by music. Since then, the theme of Blue Hour has evolved each year.
In 2023 Blue Hour showcased over 15 original art pieces, all centered on ocean preservation and sustainability, while last year celebrated ocean inspired music performed by the LA Choral Lab. Blue Economy trailblazers are honored with the Innovator award, the NextGen award and, in special circumstances, the Cornerstone award for those longtime supporters.
This year, AltaSea will celebrate pioneers in the Blue Food sector, including Andrew Zimmern, celebrity American chef and restaurateur.
As an Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award recipient, Andrew is a dynamic TV personality, chef, writer, and dedicated global citizen. He has committed his life to fostering cultural acceptance, tolerance, and understanding through culinary experiences, while also emphasizing the significance of ocean health, sustainability, and responsibly sourced food to secure a better future for generations.
AltaSea will honor Andrew with the Innovation Award presented by lifetime ocean advocates, Philippe and Ashlan Cousteau.
This year’s Blue Hour will feature chef demonstrations, exquisite culinary creations, literal works of art from food, live music, distinctive entertainment, and a variety of ocean food and drinks.
Blue Hour 2024: Ocean Songs
Blue Hour 2023: Above & Below
Blue Hour 2022: The Warehouse
Ticket Information
Ticket Options
$150 for Blue Hour Admission ticket
$500 for Blue-Access VIP ticket
Tickets Include
Admission to Blue Hour
1 Meal Courtesy of Trani’s Dockside
Access to Open Bar
Blue-Access Includes
Private outdoor lounge
Bar with signature drink
Mix & mingle with award winners throughout the night
Sponsorship Information
Contact Sandy Schaeffer at sandy@aubryandco.com or
Aileen Sagara at aileen@aubryandco.com
The funds raised by Blue Hour supports AltaSea’s Ocean STEM, which provide educational programs to students throughout Los Angeles at no cost, giving them an opportunity to learn about the vast opportunities within the blue economy – from marine conservation to underwater robotics and clean energy.
If you cannot attend Blue Hour, you can donate to AltaSea here
AltaSea is a 501(c)(3) and donations are tax-deductible
Four Immersive Pavilions
Blue Hour 2025 will feature four immersive and inspiring “Blue Food” pavilions, offering guests a chance to explore exceptional ocean-based cuisine while discovering the future of the Blue Economy
and sustainable aquaculture. This year’s event spotlights vendors and collaborators deeply connected to AltaSea’s mission to accelerate ocean innovation.
Curated by Chef Sammy Monsour, the pavilions will be designed as 10’x20’ interactive spaces where culinary creativity meets ocean sustainability. Chef Monsour will collaborate with each pavilion team to craft original menus and tasting experiences that elevate the role of sustainable seafood, sea vegetables, and cutting-edge marine technologies.
LA Harbor College Pavilion – Blue Economy Culinary Arts Pavilion
In partnership with LA Harbor College’s acclaimed Culinary Arts Program, this pavilion will spotlight next-generation culinary talent. Students will prepare recipes inspired by our 2025 Blue Hour Honoree, Chef Andrew Zimmern, with a focus on:
– Ocean vegetables (like kelp and sea lettuce)
– Underutilized or overlooked marine species
– Artisanal seafood sausages crafted with sustainability in mind
Expect bold flavors, inventive dishes, and a powerful showcase of how education and the Blue Economy intersect.
Seaweed Pavilion – Featuring Kelp Ark
This pavilion will highlight the power of seaweed as both a sustainable food source and a regenerative force for our oceans. A featured chef, selected by Chef Monsour, will create culinary experiences that celebrate seaweed’s diversity.
In collaboration with Kelp Ark and potentially the California Seaweed Festival (hosted at AltaSea on October 10), this pavilion will emphasize the ecological and culinary significance of marine plants.
Braid Theory Pavilion – Sustainable Innovation Meets Cuisine
Sustainability takes center stage in this pavilion, curated in partnership with Braid Theory. The focus: exploring ocean-conscious packaging and the future of eco-friendly food innovation.
The pavilion will blend food artistry with storytelling, featuring a chef collaboration that integrates sustainable materials into the culinary journey—an innovative intersection of food and technology.
Tin Food Pavilion – Sponsored by Blue Robotics
A creative culinary experience is currently in development with Blue Robotics, exploring the art of preserved ocean foods. This installation will bring a chef-curated tasting of tinned seafood and other preserved delicacies that champion shelf-stable, sustainable options for ocean-based nourishment.
Blue Food Auction
Even if you can’t make the event, please join in our Ocean Songs Auction to bid on one — or multiple — of several magnificent prizes and support AltaSea’s critical educational initiatives.
You could win:
We appreciate your support of AltaSea and want to make your money go further!
Auction ends on TBD and all winners will be notified by TBD.
Thank You Auction Item Sponsors
2025 Award Recipients
Chef Andrew Zimmern & Chadwick Foundation
Innovation Award
An Innovation Award signifies not only the recognition of the recipient’s ingenuity but also serves as a testament to their ability to drive progress and solve complex challenges.
NextGen Award
The NextGen Award honors emerging leaders or institutions that are driving innovation and creating lasting impact in their industries or communities. This recognition celebrates forward-thinking individuals and educational models shaping a better, more sustainable future.
More information coming soon!
Featured Artist: Beatie Wolfe
Visionary artist and environmental innovator Beatie Wolfe will bring her unique creative lens to Blue Hour, infusing the evening with music and storytelling that inspire action for a sustainable ocean future.
AltaSea acknowledges that our campus is located on the traditional lands and waters of the Tongva People; specifically our location is historically the aweeshkone xaa Chaawvetam (Village of Chaawvenga).
We also acknowledge the traditional lands and waters of the Chumash, Tataviam, Serrano, Cahuilla, Juaneno and Luiseno Peoples throughout Southern California, where AltaSea partners reside. We pay respect to the traditions, knowledge, past and present of these Indigenous Peoples.
Thank You Sponsors!
Deep Sea Explorer Sponsors
Next Gen Sponsors
Dreamers Sponsors
Artistic Sea Maven Sponsors
Climate Supporter Sponsors
Additional Thanks
