Cockroaches, worms and insects are mass-producing on German television again - at the "Jungle Camp", which runs until January 26th on RTL. Biggest Ekelfaktor: crawling and crawling small animals.

That insects are not just Soulfood, Markus Geyer is clear. The 37-year-old is a chef at the Mexican restaurant chain Espitas, which has branches in Leipzig, Dresden, Chemnitz, Erfurt, Halle and Zwickau. The annual "insect weeks" are currently running in all six restaurants.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Mr. Geyer, which insect specialties are currently on your menu?

Geyer: As appetizers there are Chapulines grasshoppers on the spit or black beetle larvae on Rauke with Nachos. And for dessert we have Mealwurmeis on offer.

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Insects on the menu: Grasshopper - and Happs

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Does not it grind horribly between the teeth when you bite into such a grasshopper?

Geyer: It's a crispy experience - a bit like nibbling potato chips, but nutty in flavor. It is important to remove the wings and the spring legs before frying. The latter have barbs that could cause injury in the throat. And the wings would be as hard as broken glass when roasting.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How do you make a dessert from mealworms?

Geyer: The mealworms are the black beetle larvae, which also have a nutty note. This fits very well with some grated chocolate, cinnamon and sugar. All this I put in a pan with a drop of oil - and finally I roll a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the roasted worms.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Do not your guests find this disgusting?

Geyer: Many of our guests are really looking forward to our insect weeks - especially the customers of our Leipzig branch are eager for it. I think the grasshoppers even look really nice when they're so impaled and even look at you. It is a matter of habit. In Mexico it is normal to eat insects. In Germany it is not common - disgust is learned.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Do your guests consider it a test of courage when they order something like that?

Geyer: No, most are more curious and want to try authentic Mexican food. Nothing else is us. This year, we made a ten-day business trip through Mexico to get inspired on the ground. We traveled between Mexico City and Playa del Carmen, tasting local specialties at street food stalls, cooking at hotels with Mexican chefs, and going to markets to learn more about the products.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Did you discover something new?

Geyer: Yes, cactus leaves are a big topic in Mexico. We have now added them to our menu. However, while freshly roasted in Mexico, we have to cook and put them in - simply because we can not buy them fresh on the market. I also ate scorpions and crickets in Mexico, but that's nothing for the Germans. That's too crazy. Ants caviar is also very tasty: the eggs of ants.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Where do you get the insects for your kitchen?

Geyer: From a breeder specialized in insects from Schleswig-Holstein. We get them delivered freeze-dried. I have ordered a total of 1500 portions for the current insect weeks in the six Espitas restaurants - that's for example 6,000 grasshoppers.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Insects are considered healthy. Why?

Geyer: They contain valuable minerals and a lot of protein. The protein content is three times as high as meat. You can almost call insects a superfood.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: The environmental impact of meat production is extremely poor. It causes immense amounts of carbon dioxide. If more humans were eating insects instead of beef and pork, that would have an advantage. At least some scientists argue this.

Geyer: That may be. However, if I look at the eating habits of Germans, then a change in the near future is rather unrealistic.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: But there are also many insect products in German supermarkets: as a burger, pasta and in a lolly. Do you buy something like that?

Geyer: No, I prefer eating insects in the classic version, just as the Mexicans do. Insect noodles or maggots in chocolate - this is probably more for people who understand that as a gag.