(CNN) – Tried meat-free Mondays? What about Blackfly Friday or Scorpion Sunday?
New York City chef Joseph Yoon started cooking insects four years ago for an art project. Now, he wants to change our perception of scary turtles so we can have a “delicious”, “nutritious” and “sustainable” insect diet.
“I absolutely love insects,” said Yoon, chief executive officer of Brooklyn Bugs, an organization that promotes edible insects. “The fact that they are so diverse, the fact that there are so many species of insects, the fact that we depend so much on insects for our own ecosystems and biodiversity is absolutely fascinating. “
The environmental costs associated with the consumption of livestock mean there is a need to find sustainable and protein-rich alternatives. Chef Joseph Yoon suggests that edible insects can be a delicious and nutritious addition to our diets.
A sustainable source of protein
Feeding the world is an increasingly daunting challenge. Land is scarce and oceans are overfished, but current food production would need to nearly double to feed the 9 billion people expected to live, according to the FAO report. on Earth by 2050, according to the FAO report.
To help reduce the environmental impact of our food habits, Yoon wants to “normalize edible insects around the world, especially right where I live in America.”
Cricket, mac and cheese
But even for those willing to try, it’s not always clear how best to incorporate insects into their diet.
“When people ask me how to incorporate crickets or insects into my food, one of my favorite ways to do it is using my favorite dishes,” says Yoon. “You don’t have to think about making a new dish with a new ingredient but if you love making fried rice like I do, I love making fried rice with crickets. I love adding crickets to my mac and cheese. maybe add cricket powder with cheese sauce.”
Joseph Yoon’s cicada stir-fry.
Brooklyn Bugs
He followed in the footsteps of other insect innovators trying to change Western attitudes.
“When you think about insects – most likely one of the smallest creatures we can think of… can a bug make a difference? Can humans make a difference? ?” Yoon said. “One of the really important factors driving my work is that, yes, each of us has a responsibility. Incorporating edible insects into your diet once a week can be a big deal. makes a big difference.”
