Every year, the NC Museum Natural Sciences celebrates BugFest in downtown Raleigh. The event kicks off with the Critter Cook-Off. Two area chefs square up for a culinary show down that includes worms, crickets and scorpions.
This year, the two competing chefs were Chef Fowler from Mandolin and Chef Zanini from Jimmy V’s. For the judges, they created an appetizer, entree and dessert utilizing the required ingredients.
This year’s judges included Karen Clark from Foxy 107.1/104.3, Steve Daniels from ABC News Channel 11 and Debra Morgan from WRAL-TV.
Appetizers:
-Earlybird Gets The Worm Fritter & a Crispy Cricket Fritter
Entrees:
-Pan Seared Flounder With Cricket Hoppin John, Caramelized Fennel And Saffron & Chorizo And Egg-Worm Hash
Desserts:
-Scorpions On Parade S’mores With Bacon, Peaches, Curried Marshmallows And Basil & Key Lime Pie With Graham Cricket Crust, Candied Scorpions And Cricket Fig Sugar Cookie
Both chefs created spectacular dishes that ALMOST made the judges forget bugs were involved. But the occasional cricket leg or crunch of a scorpion made it difficult to forget!
This year’s winner was Chef Fowler from Mandolin.
Get all the details on this year’s BugFest here.
