Hungry Town Culinary Tours Support Local Fishermen

What do many local restaurants have in common with Hungry Town Tours? They all participate in the “Carteret Catch” program, a branding campaign for the Carteret County fishing industry that brings the catch to the consumer and assures end users that what they are purchasing is locally caught.

Fishermen, distributors, markets and even restaurants are likely members of the organization. But a sightseeing tour company?

“Our walking and bike culinary tours promote restaurants with locally-sourced food that allow for an enhanced guest experience for those visiting Beaufort,” stated David Cartier of Hungry Town Tours. “We pride ourselves in working with restaurants offering fresh, local products that support our local fisherman and farmers.”

A member of “Carteret Catch,” Hungry Town Tours provides a unique means of connecting the consumer with the producer, not only by educating them about seafood indigenous to North Carolina, but illustrating how it gets from the boat to the table and letting visitors know exactly where they can be sure to find the local catch.

“When we’re dining with visitors during our culinary tours, you can’t get any better connection than right at the table,” states Mr. Cartier. “We’re sharing information on the local fishing industry, while the chef is preparing the healthiest, freshest, traceable and sustainable seafood Carteret County has to offer.”

The Beaufort Culinary Bike Tour and the Food by Foot Culinary Walking Tour are two tours that focus on local seafood. However, the tours accommodate non-seafood diners as well.

In addition, Hungry Town Tours offers two specialty food tours that support local commercial fishermen.

Participants on the North Carolina Shrimp Tour receive a one pound bag of fresh local shrimp at the end of the tour. They provide a dozen Cedar Island select oysters to those that take the North Carolina Oyster Tour. Hungry Town Tours works with Fishtowne Seafood in Beaufort by purchasing local seafood for their customers.

Buying local seafood products not only connects consumers to locally available, sustainable seafood, it supports a culture and community of folks who define the character of the Carteret County coast.

For “Carteret Catch” participants, the commitment is easy for the business owner. Fish markets and restaurants simply have to ensure that at least one seafood offering is local year-round. But many restaurants offer as much local seafood as possible.

Formed in 2006, the “Carteret Catch” program began as a result of the influx of cheaper, imported seafood replacing domestic catches in the commercial markets. The program is a joint venture between Carteret County fishermen and local restaurants.

The mission of the “Carteret Catch” program is to sustain the livelihood and heritage of the Carteret County fishing industry by educating the public about domestic seafood, as well as advertise seasonal seafood caught locally.

The “Carteret Catch” brand is your guarantee that you are getting local seafood direct from Carteret County fishermen. You will find the freshest product available at local seafood retailers and restaurants that proudly display the “Carteret Catch” logo. Look for it in their window and on their menu.

When dining out in Carteret County, be sure to ask your server the most important question of all – “Is it local?”