The world’s first insect restaurant has opened in London. The menu includes Caesar salad with crickets, tacos with cricket mince, and kebab steak – also with crickets as the main ingredient.
Entomophagy, or the eating of insects, is found in many parts of Asia and Africa, but is rare in the Western world. In recent years, however, insects have begun to appear on the market, and the EU has approved four insect species as food. Sweden has also begun to test the concept, with Södertälje serving larvae in a school on a trial basis and the municipality trying to serve them in its lunch restaurant.
But Yum Bug in London is the world’s first entirely insect-based restaurant. The concept began last year as a “pop-up” restaurant, which is said to have been a success, leading to the decision to turn it into a permanent restaurant. At the moment, the restaurant only serves dishes with crickets in the form of mince, steaks or pieces. In some dishes, the crickets have also been fried and sprinkled on the food, and in some cases made into a powder that can be added to desserts.
“Cultural barrier”
Some of the dishes include Caesar salad with cricket shavings, tacos with cricket pieces, kebabs with cricket beef, hummus with cricket shavings, and pears with chocolate and cricket powder. The founders, entomologist Aaron Thomas and designer Leo Taylor, argue that insects contain more protein, less fat and, most importantly, that “insects are the most sustainable protein on the planet”. Taylor says they want to “change people’s perception of insects”.
– The big challenge with insects in the West is the cultural barrier. We want to change people’s perception of insects, says Taylor.
Eating insects is not without risk, however, as some studies suggest that they may contain heavy metals, including lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium. In addition, some studies show that insects can carry various types of bacteria and viruses, including the hepatitis virus. However, the greatest risk is to allergy sufferers, as cross-allergies can occur in people who are allergic to shellfish or dust mites, for example.
