Interview with Jen Alvarez

Posted on March 10, 2026 by Local Fish

Kate: Can you share a little about how you got into fishing and what led you to get your commercial fishing license?

Jen: I’m from Florida, and I grew up fishing with my dad on a center console boat in the Gulf of Mexico. It started as recreational fishing with my dad and grandfather, but fishing also runs in my family. My dad is from Belgium, and his side of the family were all commercial fishermen, so it was always part of our world.

My dad used to get me up at 4 a.m. to go out on the boat when I was six or seven, and that was really the beginning of boat life for me. Later, I became a chef and went to culinary school in New York. I worked in restaurants for years, then moved to California in 2006 and worked at Zuni Cafe in San Francisco, where I really focused on farm-to-table and local ingredients. Eventually I moved to San Diego, started Urban Plates, and later launched a consulting business centered around menus, events, and farm-to-table dinners.

Over time, fishing and food really came together for me. I started doing dinners built around produce from local farms and fish that I had caught myself. Then about a year ago, I bought a boat and started fishing a lot more seriously. Once I realized how much I loved it, getting my commercial license felt like the natural next step.

Kate: What do you love most about fishing?

Jen: Being on the water just feels right to me. I had this moment where I realized this is truly my passion. I love the connection between catching the fish and getting it into the hands of people who are going to appreciate it and treat it properly. There’s so much bad fish out there, and I care deeply about quality. That’s why I’m so excited about connecting my culinary background with fishing.

Kate: You’ve worked as both a chef and a fisher. How has that shaped your perspective?

Jen: It’s given me a really clear view of both sides. As a chef, I know how dramatically different truly fresh, local product is. Hyperlocal ingredients are mind-blowingly different. And as someone fishing now, I also see how hard it can be to get that product directly into the right hands.

My goal is to get fish to chefs who will value it, promote it, and understand what makes it special. That connection matters. When people know where their seafood came from and who caught it, it changes how they experience it.

Kate: What challenges do you see in commercial fishing, especially as someone newer to the industry?

Jen: The learning curve is big. Understanding permits, regulations, logistics, and all the moving parts can feel like a blur at first. Then there’s also the unpredictability of government processes and Mother Nature.

From the market side, I think one of the biggest challenges is that so much fish gets pushed into wholesale channels instead of going directly to chefs or consumers who would really appreciate how fresh it is. There’s also the issue of processing. A lot of restaurants just don’t have the space, staff, or knowledge to break down whole fish, which makes direct sales harder even when there’s interest.

Kate: What have you noticed from serving local fish through your farm-to-table dinners?

Jen: I’ve seen that sometimes people are hesitant at first, especially if the fish isn’t something familiar like salmon or tuna. But once they taste it and understand the story behind it, that changes everything. People get excited when they realize the fish on their plate was caught by the person cooking for them. That connection is powerful.

It does make me sad that San Diego has such an incredible fishery, but relatively few restaurants seem to be serving local seafood in a meaningful way. There’s so much opportunity there.

Kate: What do you hope for the next generation of fishermen?

Jen: First, I hope there are fish for them to fish and that we continue to protect sustainability. I also hope there are real opportunities for young people to enter the industry and stay in it.

Fishing is a lot like working in restaurants. It’s an industry of passion. You really have to love what you’re doing. My hope is that families in fishing communities can continue doing this work for generations, and that the passion doesn’t get drowned out by how hard it is to make a living.

Kate: How can Local Fish support you beyond connecting you with buyers?

Jen: Community building is huge. I have two small children, and I’ve been thinking a lot about how fishing can connect families and kids to the water. I try to bring kids out on the boat, show them the process, and teach them where food comes from. They get so into it.

I also think support and mentorship within the fishing community matter a lot. I’ve been lucky to have captains and others in the industry take me under their wing, and that openness made a huge difference for me. The more we can build that kind of support, the better.

Kate: How did you first hear about Local Fish?

Jen: I found Local Fish through Instagram, probably through the overlap of accounts I was already following. I saw the connection right away and thought it looked like a great platform to learn, connect, and hopefully build relationships.

Kate: Do you have a few favorite restaurants in San Diego?

Jen: I’m a little partial to Drew Deckman’s restaurant because we’ve worked together for quite a while. I also love Callie, Fish 101, and Mitch’s in Point Loma.

Kate: Thank you so much for chatting with me.

Jen: Thank you.