Hi, I’m Irving Givaudan. I’m a son, brother, husband, a father, a friend, a chef, and I’ve been fishing since I was three years old.

I grew up learning the waters of Puerto Rico- the waves, the caves, the seasons, the currents, and even their little quirks. I’ve spent so much of my life on the water that sometimes I feel like I can talk to the sea, and somehow, it talks back.

Fishing has never been just a hobby for me. It shaped the way I understand life, family, and the place I call home.

Today, my wife and I own our own shop in Puerto Rico and we try to serve and share what we learn . For years, our boat became the bridge between the ocean and our kitchen. I would go out to sea, catch our fish, bring it back to the restaurant, and together we would cook it and share it with locals, and people visiting our island from all over the world.

Through our food, we’ve always wanted to share something bigger: know where your food comes from, respect the ocean that provides it, and never lose the knowledge and the connection between what we eat and the land and sea that provide and surround us.

That boat belonged to my father. When it eventually came into my brother and my hands, we repaired it little by little and kept it alive. It wasn’t new. It wasn’t luxurious. But it carried our family, our pasiion for the sea and fishing, our work, our memories, and a lifetime of stories.

And yesterday, we lost it. In seconds.

For reasons we are still trying to understand, the boat suddenly , took on water, and sank.

I almost went down with it. But I made it home to my wife and my daughters.

For a moment, it felt selfish to even think about another boat. I’m alive. I came home. What more could I ask for?

But then my wife and I realized something: this isn’t about replacing a boat. It’s about preserving a way of life. Island life, this is a way of surviving here.

For 13 years, fishing and cooking have been part of our family’s story. This is the legacy that we started for our daughters. We want them to grow up knowing this connection. We want to keep going to the sea, bringing home what it gives us, cooking it, and sharing that story with all of you.

So we decided to allow ourselves to dream again—and to ask for help.

We are raising funds to purchase a safe, reliable used boat so I can return to the water and our family can continue what we have spent so many years building.

If you believe in our story, in preserving traditions, in knowing where our food comes from, or simply in helping a family begin again, please help us get back to the sea.

Every contribution gets us closer. And if you can’t donate, sharing our story means just as much.

Help us fish again. Help us cook again. Help us keep this connection alive.

With love and gratitude,

Irving Givaudan & Family