The concept of ethical eating isn’t new to these pages and neither is the suggestion that cuisine might be the secret weapon in the fight against invasive species. So we were thrilled to read about chef, artist, environmentalist and social activist Bun Lai’s menus based primarily on what he can forage from his 100 acres of shellfishing grounds off of the Thimble Islands in Connecticut.
The kitchen is the perfect place to exhibit the spirit of exploration and creativity–why not exploit it as a method of controlling ecological pests?
Organikos 
Fascinating stuff! Am particularly intrigued by the fact they open by eating venison – where is deer an invasive species?! I’m there for lunch!
Hi WaC–good to hear from you! Bun Lai’s restaurant is located in Connecticut and there are many areas of the U.S. where the deer population has exploded into urban areas, particularly in parts of the country where there are fewer (or no) natural predators. It’s not uncommon for homeowners to find their gardens nibbled away by foraging deer, especially in winter, and the statistics of automobile accidents is quite high. There’s nothing specifically stated about the deer population issue in the articles, but we’re assuming this population issue is the situation they’re referring to.