A restaurant dedicated to insects is on a mission to make bugs a tasty treat

Insects hold significant promise as a sustainable food source.

While the average diner may have doubts, food scientist Leah Bessa and her collaborators are all in on the idea.

Their company, Gourmet Grubb, based in South Africa, creates ice cream using a unique insect-based dairy alternative called EntoMilk, made from the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens.

Since June, they’ve been running a pop-up dining experience in Cape Town called The Insect Experience, where insect-infused dishes are served with the same attention to detail as fine dining creations.

"Our goal was to develop a sustainable and ethical protein alternative that could bring about meaningful change in the future," said Bessa.

Over 1,900 insect species are recognized as edible and consumed worldwide, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

According to Bessa, edible insects are a powerhouse of nutrition. They're packed with high-quality protein, essential amino acids, iron, zinc, fiber, and healthy fats.

In other words, edible insects hold great promise as a sustainable food source.

"Insects are often overlooked or misunderstood, so we wanted to showcase their potential—and their flavor—because people are unfamiliar with what they taste like and how to cook with them," Bessa explained.

Chef Mario Barnard creates dishes like mopane polenta fries—fries made from flour derived from mopane worms, seasoned with mopane chili salt.

"We aim to make the presentation visually appealing to help overcome any mental barriers people may have," Barnard told CGTN.

While insects might be considered unusual in certain regions, eating them is not a new concept.

Around 2 billion people worldwide eat insects, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. They are mainly consumed in regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America and have been part of human diets for centuries.

Interest in entomophagy—the practice of eating insects—is growing as the global food supply faces increasing pressure from rising demand.

Chefs are getting creative by incorporating insects into innovative dishes.

So far, most of the visitors to The Insect Experience at Cape Town’s trendy Woodstock district have been locals, eager to try dishes at South Africa's first insect-exclusive restaurant.

Initially planned to close by the end of August, Bessa and her team now aim to extend The Insect Experience through mid-2020, with plans to pop up at new locations every few months.

According to Bessa, most of the insects used at The Insect Experience are sourced from local South African farms, with the exception of mopane worms, which are imported from neighboring Zimbabwe.

The Insect Experience is located at GoodFood, The Iron Works Building, 242 Sir Lowry Rd, Woodstock, Cape Town.