Some of the city's biggest name chefs, including Daniel Boulud, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Bill Telepan, are throwing their clout behind an effort to preserve the old Fulton Fish Market at the South Street Seaport to prevent developers from tearing it down. The land and buildings there are owned by the city.
The chefs, 10 of whom appear in a video expressing support for a public food market, say they would like to see the fish market's Tin Building and New Market Building transformed into a food bazaar where they could shop for their restaurants and the public could shop, too. The fish market itself moved to the Bronx in 2005.
A grassroots organization, Save our Seaport, and the New Amsterdam Market, which operates a seasonal weekly food market at the Seaport, have launched a petition they will submit to the City Council later this month.
"We are requesting of the City Council that the rezoning of the area preserve the fish market as a public market site," said Robert LaValva, founder and president of New Amsterdam Market.
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