Inoveat, the unusual restaurant with a gourmet menu prepared with insects

A restaurant where you eat insects - at first glance, you might think it's just another buzz-worthy novelty, selling you yet another one of the unusual culinary concepts that will be on the menu in a couple of months' time. But far from it, the approach of Laurent Yenet,Inoveat 's chef, is pioneering, visionary and, above all, he advocates eating well, in season, with quality products, in an exceptional gastronomic experience that will leave many mouths agape.

• To be read
• Tips for the week of December 16 - 22, 2024 in Paris: free or cheap outings
• What to do in Paris in December 2024? Discover this month's events in the Paris Region
• New Year's Eve 2024-2025 in Paris: December 31, 2024 parties by arrondissement

Inside the restaurant, a single table adjoining the chef's kitchen awaits guests. Just a few covers, a maximum of ten, to discover this unique experience in Paris, savor, exchange and share with the chef, who makes it a point of honor to offer a menu as original as it is delicate. "There are a lot of obstacles when people think of eating insects", explains Laurent Veyet, the creator and chef ofInoveat. Not good, disgusting... Preconceived ideas about cooking with crickets and other worms are hard to dispel. So Laurent Veyet has taken up the challenge of getting his guests to eat insects, not out of obligation since it's considered a food of the future, not to moralize about your consumption of meat or fish, but on the contrary, out of "conviction and commitment" to this alternative diet. "You can eat insects by choice", explains the chef: for the discovery of new flavors and, above all, in the knowledge that it's a beneficial food for us and the environment.

A la carte, a seven-course tasting menu awaits you, with compositions prepared using only seasonal produce from short supply chains. The menu's signature dish is the Jardin, a culinary work that recalls the elements of a real kitchen garden - a cookie for the earth, vegetables... - The chef then proposes his creations of the moment, combining fresh produce, superfoods (spirulina, pollen...) and insects cooked in a variety of ways. Don't miss the chef's bao bread, a steamed bun made with a mixture of sourdough and cricket powder, served with a spice and insect butter. If, at first glance, these descriptions don't sound appealing, try them: the results are surprising and, in the end... Well-cooked insects go very well with our everyday foods, and the proposed menu combines flavors and textures... The result is a gastronomic experience we thoroughly enjoyed.

If the Inoveat experience appeals to you, expect to pay €89.90 per person for the seven-course gourmet menu, bearing in mind that the restaurant is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, for lunch and dinner. The meal lasts a long time - around three hours - with entertainment, plenty of chat with the chef and tasting of the dishes. The restaurant can also be reserved for groups of 4 to 10 people, by telephone or via the website. The restaurant's boutique is open daily from 10am to 6pm: if you'd like to discover insect-based foods and snacks, we highly recommend a detour: on site, you'll find protein cereal bars, legume and insect pasta, chocolate-coated cricket candies...

For lovers ofunusual gastronomic experiences in Paris: if you're looking for a culinary experience that stands out from the crowd, with a passionate chef, Inoveat is sure to surprise you (in a good way).