Okay, yuck. The idea of eating bugs is incredibly weird and downright repulsive to many Americans. But David George Gordon, the Bug Chef, shares a surprising fact, “Over 80% of the cultures in the world regularly eat bugs. They’re a great source of protein. We, in the US are actually the minority as a non-insect eating population.”
David lives in Shoreline, just north of Seattle, with wife Karen. Promoting the idea of eating bugs, without question, qualifies him as an interesting Washingtonian.
His passion for bugs landed him bug cooking appearances on TV shows including Conan O’Brien, James Cordon and The View. He’s quick to point out that many of the guests and the band on the Late, Late Show, on live TV readily ate some of his bug dishes. Others have been a bit squeamish.
David’s career as the Bug Chef was a result of his background in biology and passion for writing. He loves nature in all shapes and forms. After several successful books, he was doing research for his book called The Compleat (old English spelling) Cockroach. He found that many cultures including China eat bugs. His inquisitive nature drove him to find out more.
While bug eating hasn’t gone mainstream in the US, his follow-up bug book, the Eat-a-Bug Cookbook, was been quite a success. It has been updated and continues to be a popular book today.
“My primary goal as an author and Bug Chef is to educate people about bugs. They aren’t just things you just swat at but are important to the balance of nature. I believe that all these species are under appreciated, important creatures. I write about and have a passion for the ‘underdogs’ of the world,” David shares.
His book subjects include insects, cockroaches, slugs and the iconic “Washington state bird”, the geoduck. (I’m sure David knows what the plural form is for Geoduck). Geoducks? Geoduckies?
His current book, Heaven on the Half Shell, covers interesting facts and the history of the oyster. Washington is a key shellfish farming area producing a wide variety and volume of oysters. Heaven should be out next year.
He will also be featured on an upcoming episode of Nova on PBS this fall. In his spare time, he also is an accomplished blues musician.
In the meantime, he wants to let people know that the Bug Chef is back! For those adventurous souls who are open to something new, he regularly holds cooking demos in-person and online. Gather with your vaccinated friends and family for a true gastronomic adventure. Think of being able to tell everyone that you had scorpion pizza!
We Know Washington! Bekins Northwest has 11 offices throughout Washington. Each week, we feature weekend getaways, fun attractions, great restaurants, and interesting Washingtonians. Follow us on Facebook at Instagram for notification of the next post!
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