Chef Rick Moonen to be Honored with 'Rick Moonen Day'

Move over April Fools' Day! Restaurateur and advocate for sustainable seafood Chef Rick Moonen will receive a City of Las Vegas proclamation from Mayor Carolyn Goodman on the zaniest day of the year, declaring April 1 as "Rick Moonen Day," or as Moonen likes to call it "Moonen No Foolin' Day," in honor of the fun-loving chef and his contributions to the city.

Since his emergence on the Las Vegas restaurant scene in 2005, with the opening of rm seafood at The Shoppes at Mandalay Place and most recently Rx Boiler Room, Moonen has been one of the leading advocates and providers of sustainable seafood practices in the city for over a decade.

Moonen has played a pivotal role in the Las Vegas community with his giving spirit, being a strong supporter of Chefs to the Max, Fight MSA for Kerry Simon, Keep Memory Alive, Life is Beautiful Festival, Scleroderma Research Foundation, and Three Square Food Bank. In addition, April marks the celebration of Earth Month, a month-long celebration that perfectly coincides with his tireless efforts of being a strong voice in protection of our world's oceans and the creatures that inhabit them.

Moonen, who recently celebrated the 10-year anniversary of rm seafood in February, invites guests to join him in continuing the celebration for "Rick Moonen Day" by indulging in a special selection of unforgettable culinary hits that have been served since day one. Highlights include Everything Crusted Yellowfin Tuna with mixed grains, ratatouille and red pepper coulis; Pan-Seared Local Bass on chive whipped potatoes with truffle sauce and shitake mushrooms; Rick's Seafood Gumbo with shrimp, clams, mussels, crab, okra and rice; and Linguini and Clams made to order with Atlantic littleneck surf clams, olive oil and parsley.

Rick Moonen's proclamation event will be held on April 1, 2015, at 9 a.m. inside Las Vegas City Hall. For more information about rm seafood and to make reservations, visit www.rmseafood.com or call (702) 369-6300.

About Chef Rick Moonen

Chef and cookbook author, Rick Moonen, has been one of the country's leading advocates for the sustainable seafood movement for more than 25 years, bringing national awareness to this subject near and dear to his heart. His restaurant, Rick Moonen's rm seafood at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, showcases his commitment to sustainability without foregoing culinary creativity and innovation, and has been critically acclaimed by local and national press alike. In 2010 Rick made a memorable appearance on Bravo's Top Chef Masters, nearly taking home the title and raising thousands of dollars and national awareness for Three Square food bank in Las Vegas. In May of 2011 Monterey Bay Aquarium honored Rick as their "Chef of the Year" for his tireless efforts towards sustainability. He's been featured on CNN, TODAY, Good Morning America, CBS Early Show, Dan Rather Reports, and many more. Find him on Twitter @RickMoonen, Facebook.com/ChefRickMoonen, on Instagram @ChefMoonen or www.rickmoonen.com.

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