In the past year, Ross Hammer and Lauren Cavallo, the owners of Zest Restaurant Group, doubled down on locally-sourced seafood by investing in their own fishing operation, and by launching a cattle farm to eventually supply their own beef.
Ross, who grew up in Cape May, has always had a strong connection to the water. When the opportunity came to buy commercial fishing boats, it felt like the next logical step for their restaurants, which include some of the most popular spots on the Cape: Taco Caballito, Port Marina & Restaurant, and the Fish House.
“We realized we could cut out the middleman and bring in incredibly fresh product ourselves,” Ross said. “We know exactly where it’s coming from, how it’s handled, and that it’s the best we can offer our guests.”
In 2024, they started purchasing sea bass from the Savannah Page, a longline commercial fishing boat previously docked in Wildwood and known as Miss Patty. Joe Wagner, a local fisherman who learned the trade from his father, had been operating the boat for years. By winter 2025, Ross and Lauren bought it outright, including the commercial license.
Today, the Savannah Page goes out three times a week and regularly brings in about 2,000 pounds of sea bass per trip. Even low-yield trips stay above 1,800 pounds. The boat uses habitat traps—structures that provide shelter rather than bait—to attract sea bass. Anything else that ends up in the trap gets thrown back.
Joe now works for the restaurant, continuing to do what he knows best. He fishes the same traditional spots passed down through generations or discovered over years on the water. “The pots we use are specifically designed to catch sea bass,” he said. “If something else ends up in there and it’s not sea bass, we throw it back. That’s the rule.”
The boat runs with a three-person crew. Steve, 55, has worked on lobster and scallop boats for decades. Joe met him on a scallop boat 15 years ago. Frank started with Joe as a teenager and has been part of the crew for the last eight years.
Over time, Joe’s noticed some changes on the water. “Every year is different, and a lot depends on the weather,” he said. “One big change is that we don’t fish as close to the beach as we used to.”
In addition to sea bass, Ross and Lauren are planning to add lobster to their sourcing program. They’re outfitting two additional boats, The Saturn and Knot Wasted, to handle that side of the catch. It’s a harder fishery to manage, especially in this region.
“We’re in Area 5 for lobster permits, and the catch happens about 25 miles offshore,” Ross said. “Down here, we’re at the southern edge of the lobster’s range, so the waters are warmer and the season is shorter. It’s harder to get consistent volume—but when we can catch them ourselves, we do.”
When they can’t, they source from other local boats working the same waters. “It’s still fresh, still local,” Ross added. “Just part of the give and take that comes with working close to the source.”
This supply model doesn’t stop at seafood. In July 2024, Ross and Lauren bought a farm in Woodstown, New Jersey. They’ve been sourcing beef from a family farm in Virginia for years, but owning their own land lets them work toward full control.
“We’re raising cattle there and getting everything up and running,” Lauren said. “The goal is to eventually supply as much of the meat for our restaurants as possible from our own farm.”
Both Ross and Lauren have deep roots in the area. Ross grew up here, and Lauren spent summers in Cape May. That personal connection drives their approach to food and sourcing.
“We’ve seen firsthand the incredible produce, seafood, and flavors this area has to offer,” Lauren said. “So it just feels natural to build our menus around that.”
They’re also realistic about the challenges. Local sourcing comes with unpredictability. Weather, tides, and seasonality all affect what shows up in the kitchen. “The biggest challenge is consistency,” Lauren said. “But when it works, the payoff is huge.”
This article was written as part of a paid partnership with Zest Restaurant Group.
