Marius restaurant’s Didier Rubiolo hosted an unusual dinner event on Thursday January 22nd that combined dining with environmental activism. The focus: lionfish, a rapidly spreading invasive species that’s wreaking havoc on Mediterranean ecosystems.
Native to the Indo-Pacific region, the lion fish has no natural predators in Mediterranean waters. Its voracious appetite for juvenile fish and invertebrates is disrupting local food chains and threatening fishing communities across the region.
Rubiolo’s solution is quite simple: if you can’t beat them, eat them. The chef has developed recipes showcasing the fish’s white, flaky flesh, which he describes as similar to grouper or snapper. “Small steps can produce great changes,” he said.
The January 22nd event at Marius combined a tasting menu with an art auction featuring works by Greek artist Dimos Flessas. The exhibition, presented by environmental organisation Elafonisos Eco, used abstraction and symbolism to highlight the lionfish threat. Proceeds from the auction will support Mediterranean restoration projects.
“Although often perceived as a threat, the lionfish is in fact innocent,” noted Flessas. “It is our actions that created this imbalance. Through art, I aim to awaken awareness and responsibility rather than assign blame.”
Photo from the exhibition, credit: Monaco LifeHowever, this isn’t Rubiolo’s first conservation effort. In 2008, at the request of Prince Albert II, he helped establish an agreement to stop selling bluefin tuna in Monaco, working alongside the World Wildlife Fund and local retailers. That campaign contributed to a global recovery and today bluefin tuna is no longer considered overfished or endangered.
“Monaco is a small country that does big things,” Rubiolo said.
The approach showcases how restaurants might play a role in managing invasive species, turning an ecological problem into a culinary opportunity.
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Main photo credit: Monaco Life
