“Imagine cricket cake, similar to fish cake,” one chef encourages, promoting a steaming bowl of spicy laksa—a rich coconut noodle broth featuring “textured cricket protein.”
Nearby, a plate of chili crickets emulates a traditional Singaporean favorite, stir-fried mud crabs in a luscious sweet chili sauce.
This buffet experience appeared ordinary—at a glance. Yet, crickets were the star ingredient in every dish served.
A woman carefully scooped stir-fried Korean glass noodles adorned with minced crickets, while a man continued questioning the young chef.
These diners were part of a gathering of over 600 scientists, entrepreneurs, and environmentalists in Singapore, all committed to promoting the taste of insects. The conference, aptly named “Insects to Feed the World,” emphasized this mission.
Despite the intriguing offerings, many attendees gravitated towards a neighboring buffet featuring conventional cuisine: wild-caught fish infused with lemongrass, grilled steak with onion marmalade, and creamy coconut vegetable curry.
The United Nations reports that around two billion people globally incorporate insects into their diets.
Advocates for edible insects argue that more individuals should embrace this dietary shift, promoting it as a healthy and sustainable choice. However, will this environmental benefit entice more people to sample these unconventional foods?
Insect-Inspired Cuisine
“Our focus must be on making insects delicious,” states a New York chef who created the cricket-focused menu for the conference alongside a local culinary expert. The event exclusively featured crickets.
“While the sustainability and nutritional benefits of insects are important, they must be appetizing to gain popularity,” he adds.
Research indicates that consuming just six crickets can fulfill an individual’s daily protein requirements, and raising crickets demands significantly less water and land than traditional livestock.
Countries like Singapore are encouraging insect consumption, recently approving 16 types of edible bugs, including crickets and silkworms.
This initiative places Singapore among a select group of nations, including the European Union and Australia, that are actively regulating this emerging edible insect sector, currently valued between $400 million and $1.4 billion.
Chefs like Nicholas Low are innovatively finding ways to incorporate insects into dishes, as many people are hesitant to try them in their original form.
For this conference, he transformed the familiar laksa by using cricket patties instead of traditional fish cake.
Low explains it required careful consideration to mask the earthy insect aroma. Dishes rich in flavor, like laksa, effectively distract diners from noticing the insects’ presence.
He mentions that crickets offer limited versatility in cooking, usually being prepared deep-fried for crunch or ground into powder, unlike traditional meats.
Cooking exclusively with crickets daily isn’t practical for him: “I prefer to feature them as a unique part of a broader menu.”
Since the approval of insect consumption in Singapore, various restaurants are experimenting with this novel ingredient. A seafood establishment now sprinkles crickets on dishes like satays and squid ink pasta, or serves them alongside fish head curry.
Meanwhile, Tokyo’s Takeo Cafe has been serving insects for a decade, featuring dishes like a salad with Madagascar hissing cockroaches, ice cream decorated with grasshoppers, and cocktails crafted with silkworm products.
“Curiosity is key for our customers,” remarks the chief sustainability officer at Takeo Cafe.
On environmental concerns, he observes, “Most customers aren’t overly worried.”
To accommodate varied preferences, the cafe also offers a bug-free menu. “We ensure inclusivity for those who may not want to eat insects due to preferences or dietary restrictions.”
Insects in Our History
Historically, insects have long been regarded as a vital food source across diverse cultures.
In Japan, grasshoppers, silkworms, and wasps were traditionally consumed in areas where other proteins were scarce. This practice gained renewed attention during food shortages in World War II.
Today, crickets and silkworms are frequently enjoyed as snacks in Thailand, and in Mexico City, ant larvae fetch high prices, having been a delicacy of the Aztec civilization.
However, experts express concern that globalization is eroding these culinary traditions, with some people equating insect consumption with poverty.
Cultural stigma is growing in regions where insects once held esteem as a food source, according to culinary experts.
Anthropologist research indicates colonialism has contributed to the negative perceptions of insect consumption. Historical accounts suggest that early explorers condemned native insect-eating practices.
Nevertheless, attitudes can evolve over time. Foods like sushi and lobster, once considered unusual, have become widely accepted.
As transportation and food preservation improve, what was once exotic can gain mainstream acceptance, though changing long-standing cultural views will take time.
Experts urge the need for the next generation to embrace unconventional food options, including insects, to combat potential future food crises.
Insects could emerge as future “superfoods,” valued alongside quinoa and blueberries, even if initially viewed as a last resort rather than a delight to be sought out.
Currently, chefs like Nicholas Low note a lack of incentives encouraging substantial dietary changes, particularly in affluent regions.
While younger consumers might be intrigued by trying insects, their interest may decline quickly. “We are spoiled for choice, preferring traditional meats and fish.”
