In partnership with Ocean Wise, Vancouver's esteemed seafood restaurant Blue Water Cafe is getting geared up for its 14th annual Unsung Heroes Festival that begins February 1st. Perhaps less of a festival and more of a special winter feature menu, Unsung Heroes (as the name implies) was created by the restaurant's executive chef, Frank Pabst, to celebrates more uncommon, but highly sustainable ocean bounty.

"We're up for the challenge of bringing a spotlight on new Ocean Wise products and share the importance of dining sustainably with our guests," explains Pabst. "As a founding member of the Ocean Wise program, we're truly honoured to work with the Vancouver Aquarium and our trusted suppliers who provide guidance and expertise on highlighting ocean conservation practices."

The chef's Unsung Heroes menu highlights everything from herring to smelts to jellyfish, including periwhinkles, sea cucumbers and even slipper limpet, which is a type of snail. The 14 creative dishes range in price from $12.50 (fried smelt in corn tortillas with crema, lime and cilantro) to $15.50 (octopus "Bolognese" with squid ink fettucine and pork belly), and will be available until Februrary 27th. Lastly, and most importantly, 10 per cent of the sales proceeds will be donated to Ocean Wise.