What happens if we do something with our problems, rather than simply bemoan them? In this case, the problem lies with species that invade and degrade native ecologies. And the solution, perhaps, is to eat them.’ —Kirsha Kaechele
The food philosophy at the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) features in a new television series—Eat The Invaders—airing on the ABC in early 2025. The six-part series looks at invasive environmental pests and explores creative (often culinary) ways of dealing with them. Each episode culminates in a wild feast prepared by Mona’s executive chef, Vince Trim, and curated by artist and First Lady of Mona, Kirsha Kaechele—a showcase of the museum’s approach to drinking and dining.
Mona has been inviting visitors to ‘Eat the Problem’ since the release of Kirsha Kaechele’s deluxe food and art compendium—which contained a series of invasive species ‘recipes’ both real and surreal—and exhibition of the same name in 2019. From wild-harvested venison dishes, to sea-urchin cocktails, the menus at Mona avoid heavily farmed meat and make use of whatever is feral, low-impact or abundant in Tasmania.
Vince Trim, Mona’s Executive Chef, says: ‘The scale of the food operation at Mona is mammoth. Eat the Problem forced us to ask why we’re serving farmed meats that can have potential negative effects on the environment while valuable resources are being culled as pests and left to the flies right here in Tassie. It’s crazy. We don’t yet have all the answers, but luckily we’re in a position to use these resources, and to keep asking the questions. Mona is all about the exploration of ideas, and dining here is part of that.’
With Eat the Problem and Mona’s food philosophy named as a significant inspiration, the series brings questions (and some tasty answers) to life on the small screen. It invites Australia to think differently about what could be possible in the fight against the ongoing ecological disaster caused by invasive species—underpinned by Kaechele’s long-held mission of transforming shit into gold, flaw into feature.
Kirsha Kaechele, artist, curator, troublemaker, says: ‘It’s a matter of perception, and we’re opening that up. We all know that it’s important to live in connection with nature (boring). But it’s also more exciting—more culinarily titillating—to eat in a way that connects us to the systems we are part of (while not fucking the world).
‘Art knows no bounds, so food is medium for art. And art is transformation. So we are looking at the systems that exist, breaking them open, reframing things we thought were disgusting (through simple failure of imagination), and elevating them. We’re exploring the contradictions and complexities in food—all while amusing and delighting ourselves. And we’re discovering new possibilities that are delicious, ethical and exciting.’
Eat the Invaders, hosted by Tony Armstrong with Kaechele and Trim as guest presenters, airs on Tuesday 7 January at 8.30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. It is a Closer Production presented by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Screen Australia, in association with the South Australian Film Corporation and Screen Tasmania.
