A research on usability as a gastronomic element of the lionfish

Invasive alien species may cause many negative ecological, social, and economic impacts worldwide. Therefore, strategies developed to control the spread of invasive species are very important. One of these strategies is the use of invasive species as food crops. This study aims to compile the thoughts of kitchen chefs on the use of lionfish, considered an invasive species known as poisonous, as a gastronomic element. For this purpose, two different research methods were used: the interview and experimental methods. First of all, data were collected using a semi-structured interview form. Within the scope of the research, data were obtained through the internet or face-to-face interviews with ten kitchen chefs who included lionfish in their menus or included them for a certain period. The obtained data were analyzed with the descriptive analysis method. In line with the data obtained from the interviews, four different lionfish recipes were developed to be used in restaurant menus. Sensory analyzes were performed with trained panelists for the developed lionfish recipes. As a result, it has been seen that lionfish can be used as a gastronomic element in our country and kitchen chefs are willing to use lionfish. It is thought that this study will benefit similar studies in the future.