In the grand banquet of life, there are two types of diners: those who lament the chaos and those who grab a fork and feast on it. The Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) is firmly in the latter camp, as evidenced by its audacious food philosophy now leaping from Tasmania’s enigmatic grounds to the national stage with Eat The Invaders. Airing on ABC in early 2025, this six-part series sets out to confront an ecological quandary with knives sharpened, ovens blazing, and imaginations untamed.
This is no ordinary cooking show. It’s a gastronomic journey through the murky waters of invasive species—a celebration of transformation that turns ecological pests into culinary pleasures. Mona, ever the avant-garde provocateur, has woven its philosophy of challenging norms and celebrating contradictions into every frame.
A Feast of Contradictions
Eat The Invaders is a delicious paradox. It treats invasive species—nature’s uninvited guests—not as villains to be eradicated but as ingredients to be embraced. Guided by Mona’s executive chef Vince Trim, the series explores how these environmental disruptors can be elevated into fine dining experiences that tantalize both the palate and the mind. From feral deer to sea urchins, the invasive becomes irresistible, a reminder that sustainability can be sumptuous.
What emerges is a narrative as rich and layered as the dishes themselves. This isn’t about simple solutions or virtue-signaling; it’s a complex exploration of food’s power to connect, provoke, and transform. Each episode is a culinary experiment, a sensory delight, and an ecological meditation rolled into one.
A Culinary and Artistic Revolution
Underpinning the series is Mona’s irrepressible spirit of innovation. Its dining ethos—first articulated in the groundbreaking Eat the Problem book and exhibition—rejects the heavily farmed in favor of the wild, the wasteful in favor of the resourceful. This philosophy has redefined what it means to dine sustainably, proving that ethical eating can be as thrilling as it is responsible.
Beyond the kitchen, the series shines a spotlight on the art of perception. The table becomes a canvas, where food isn’t merely sustenance but a medium for rethinking the systems that bind us to the natural world. The grotesque becomes gorgeous, the forgotten becomes unforgettable—a testament to the alchemy of art and food.
Transforming the Mundane into the Sublime
Hosted by the charismatic Tony Armstrong, Eat The Invaders marries scientific inquiry with culinary creativity. With Trim as its gastronomic guide and Mona’s artist-in-residence Kirsha Kaechele as its conceptual compass, the show invites viewers to see pests not as problems but as opportunities. It’s a reimagining of the mundane, a reclaiming of resources that are often dismissed or destroyed.
But this isn’t just an exercise in eco-culinary activism. It’s a story of delight—of discovering flavors that surprise and satisfy, of finding joy in the act of transformation. In typical Mona style, the series balances its cerebral ambitions with a sense of humor, ensuring that every bite comes with a twist.
The Invitation to Rethink
Ultimately, Eat The Invaders is more than a television series; it’s an invitation to rethink our relationship with food, nature, and each other. It dares us to see the world differently, to savor the unexpected, and to imagine a future where the act of eating is as revolutionary as it is revelatory.
Premiering on January 7, 2025, the series promises to be a feast for the senses and the soul—a reminder that sometimes, the best way to tackle a problem is to plate it up and pass the fork. Prepare to be amused, provoked, and maybe even inspired to take a bite out of your own backyard’s untapped potential.
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Words by AW.
Photo courtesy of MONA / Jesse Hunniford.