Woman Spends ₹60,000 To Eat Butterflies, Pig-Deer Blood & Live Bugs At Michelin Restaurant

For most people, fine dining might mean a beautifully plated dish and a glass of good wine. But for those adventurous enough to enter the world of avant-garde gastronomy, Copenhagen’s Alchemist restaurant offers an unforgettable, and often unsettling journey through food, art, and philosophy. One woman recently documented her five-hour, $700 dining experience at the two-Michelin-starred establishment, and it’s gone viral for all the right (and weird) reasons.

An unconventional beginning

The evening opened not with bread or butter, but with a glass of crunchy, oxidised apple juice, yes, crunchy. This set the tone for a series of dishes that blurred the line between cuisine and conceptual art. Among the first bites was a puffed gluten sphere topped with langoustine, cream, and caviar, a luxurious play on texture and flavor.

Next came edible butterflies arranged delicately on nettle leaves. The server explained these were farm-raised, chosen to highlight the future role of insects as sustainable protein sources in a changing food landscape.

Provocative plates with a message

Throughout the meal, Alchemist wove social commentary into its presentation. Chicken feet were served in a small cage, a striking metaphor for factory farming conditions. The dish that followed was a deboned version of the same, paired with a fragrant Tom Yum broth.

A number of other visually arresting and experimental dishes followed. Fluffy dumplings with a cotton candy texture, a jellyfish dish floating in a light herb broth, and even an eye-shaped gel filled with razor clams and caviar, inspired by George Orwell’s 1984, made appearances.

One standout was a cold meringue filled with tart buckthorn marmalade, offered as a palate cleanser. Another was an omelet-shaped creation made from eggs, truffle, and cheese, rich, velvety, and full of umami.

Dessert with a dark twist

When it came time for dessert, the boundary-pushing didn’t stop. Guests were served a chocolate shaped like a coffin, followed by a blood-drop treat made from pig and deer’s blood. The taste? Slightly metallic, according to the woman, but undeniably bold.

A mixed reaction online

As clips from the experience gained traction on social media, the internet had plenty to say. One viewer quipped, “This is what they serve in hell,” while another joked, “Guys serves veal and then tries to criticize the way animals are confined by humans. Wild..” Poeple took a more critical stance, questioning the ethics of showcasing animal suffering through literal consumption.

“Bugs, jellyfish, lamb brain, and chicken feet… you're spotlighting animal cruelty by eating them? Are you okay?” one commenter asked.

Art or excess?

Alchemist isn’t just a restaurant, it’s performance art, social commentary, and culinary theater rolled into one immersive experience. While it may not be everyone’s idea of a great meal, it certainly makes a statement.

Whether you view it as genius or gimmick, one thing’s certain: this is not your average dinner out. It’s a conversation starter, an experience you won’t forget, and definitely not for the faint of heart (or picky eaters).