Chef Ted Walter leaves a legacy of the great effect one man can have on the world.

There is a story I read about Ted Walter, the former chef and owner of Passionfish in Pacific Grove. One evening many years ago, Walter and his wife Cindy—both pioneers in the drive for sustainable seafood—were dining at Akaoni in Carmel. Shinichi Yamada, the cozy sushi destination’s talented and demanding chef, sent a plate of otoro to the table in recognition of a fellow chef. The cut of bluefin is highly prized, but this was some 15 years ago. Bluefin was on the endangered list due to overfishing.

The couple were in a quandary. There was the matter of respect for Yamada, on one hand. But the Walters had taken a stand.

“You ask yourself why you are doing it,” Ted Walter told the Weekly at the time. “But hopefully enough people get fed up and start listening.”

Dave Faries here, observing that Ted Walter died on Sept. 26. I’m also noting that people did begin to listen—and to act.

When Walter opened Passionfish in 1997, he struggled to find purveyors who adhered to Seafood Watch guidelines. Requesting sustainability from commercial fishermen at the time invited dismissive laughter. By 2017, the Walters were joined by chefs nationwide—names like Jacques Pepin and Tom Colicchio—in petitioning Congress against four bills that would weaken seafood protection.

Walter proved that the restaurant industry could be committed to the environment and turn out amazing dishes. In an era where “local,” “seasonal,” “organic,” “farm-to-table” and similar phrases are promoted with pride, this notion does not seem strange. But dining has evolved because of Walter and chefs like him.

Passionfish earned a lengthy list of honors, including being voted the Best Restaurant in Pacific Grove and the Best Restaurant in Monterey County by Weekly readers on many occasions. The Walters were invited to cook at the James Beard House in 2014. The meal was presented as “an exciting homage to sustainable cuisine.”

Because of Walter’s passion for sustainability, other local restaurants joined the fight. Chef Walter was a regular at farmers markets. Now chefs prize herb and vegetable gardens. Of course, he wasn’t a lone presence in the sustainability fight. But he did help move everyone forward.

Unfortunately, I know the chef only through stories. When I arrived at the Weekly in 2018, Walter was not feeling well. The issue was so serious, he reportedly had a double lung transplant in 2019. Yet he remained committed to environmental issues and to Passionfish. The Walters finally sold the restaurant in 2024.

Walter leaves quite a legacy. When the couple dug in and sent otoro back to the kitchen years ago, bluefin was endangered. While it is still under threat, bluefin stock in both the Atlantic and Pacific have rebounded. 

But according to an article in the Weekly’s archives, Chef Yamada did not speak to Chef Walter for a year.