![]() "Hopefully they go out and help spread the message." "It's a great talking point with our guests," he says. "We barely put a dent in populations," he says, adding that his main goal is to help educate people about the dangers of invasives and to feel "really connected with our local food and our environment". He warns that people should not prepare lionfish at home as the fish has venomous spines which can cause injury.Ĭooking with prolific pests such as lionfish won't necessarily help eradicate them, however. Olive sources lionfish from local divers and spearfishing tournaments. "Lionfish are really delicious and hold up to many different cooking applications," he says. He also roasts lionfish whole in the oven. Olive makes a Peruvian-style lionfish ceviche dish, sprinkled with coriander, fresh ginger and satsuma juice. The firm, white fish tastes similar to grouper and mahi mahi, or dorado. Without natural predators to keep them in check, lionfish pose a serious threat to marine ecosystems beyond their natural range, consuming over 50 species of fish. Lionfish are native to the Indo-Pacific region, but started infiltrating Atlantic coastal waters in the 1980s. ![]() (Watch: The hungry lionfish devouring Florida's coast.) He started cooking with lionfish, a highly destructive invasive species with a row of venomous spines on their backs and a voracious appetite. "If you go to a restaurant and a chef serves you, then you're likely to be much more open minded about it."īrody Olive, executive chef at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, Alabama, has been cooking with invasives for more than 10 years. It's about getting people outside, foraging and learning about their local ecosystem."Ĭhefs cooking with invasives are helping people get over "the disgust factor" of trying strange new ingredients, says Roman. "People don't know which species are native and which ones are invasive. He believes that eating invasives helps restore balance to ravaged ecosystems and educates people about how these pests are decimating local wildlife.Įnvironmental education lies at the heart of invasivorism, Roman agrees. Invasive species are pushing that balance out of whack." "Invasive species are a negative force on the environment," says McMaster. But 10 years ago, invasivorism really "took off" as restaurants and chefs started focusing more on local ingredients and sustainability, he says. "People just thought it was kind of a quirky idea," says Roman. Roman started foraging for green crabs and periwinkles, an invasive sea snail native to Europe, and found that "they're pretty easy to cook…you just sauté them and they're delicious!"īut the idea didn't catch on immediately.
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