I Made Lunch for Sharks, Rays, and Seahorses at the Seattle Aquarium | Kenji’s Cooking Show

[@seattleaquarium]

Thanks for joining us in the prep kitchen, Kenji! These animals will soon be leaving our offsite Animal Care Center to live in habitats at our Ocean Pavilion expansion. We can’t wait for everyone to get to know them! Fun fact: The bowmouth guitarfish in our care was born to a mother that was caught in a net and diverted from a commercial fishery. Now she’s enjoying restaurant quality food prepped by a world-renowned chef-not too bad, huh! 😉

[@draven_sword7092]

Y'all are absolutely amazing! Thanks for having Kenji over :D

[@inonehand]

Y'all rock! Looking forward to visiting when I visit Seattle later this year.

[@sarhan_]

🎉

[@littlepaws512]

Thank you for having kenji and us into your world! And for doing all you do for the creatures of ocean!!!!

[@Svirena]

My dad was the cameraman for this video and I am very happy that he was in this video

[@Deagle123]

This is the coolest video. What a professional and caring group of vets!

[@Hannahorse715]

Not vets at all marine biologist

[@Deagle123]

@@Hannahorse715 not wll vets

[@JesusDiaz-pb8wp]

My man Kenji doing sidequests now.💪

[@OctopusLady]

Oh gosh! I used to be an aquarist and man, does this video bring back memories! The depinning squid, the Mazuri supplements, the feeding seahorses a million times a day, it all takes me back! This was such a lovely video!

[@johnmcpudding857]

Ngl surprised to see you pop up in here. Overlapping interests or?

[@heterotardigrada]

@OctopusLady hi! always welcome to see you in videos like this!

[@miseentrope]

Love when Kenji makes a field trip video. We all learn something. 💫

[@sandspar]

Volunteered there in the late 80's. The story I still tell to this day is how the puffer fish circle up and squirt water at the feeder until they toss some of the chum to them, so funny. Looks like a scene right out of Disney. LOVE that place!

[@jakoblarok]

Mind-blowing take on "food prep"! I was also stunned on how larger fish like rays and such are actually intelligent enough to be trainable! Please make this a recurring theme - feeding zoo animals, feeding humans at a shelter, feeding humans at a country club, feeding little humans at various kinds of schools, feeding various armies, making the feed for koi and other fish, など

[@phranerphamily]

I love seeing behind the scenes videos! My husband and I were married at the Seattle Aquarium on New Year's Eve 1993 and it is one of my favorite places in the Pacific Northwest. Thank you for highlighting it ❤

[@rlvids9889]

I’ve done various zoo volunteering and internships and having now worked at a restaurant I can say it’s similar haha. I worked in a zoo kitchen for a day and that was actually where I learned how to hold a knife and chop vegetables properly. I also remember stuffing pills into fish for dolphins! And the gorillas and orangutans don’t like certain vegetables raw, so we would have to steam them and put different spices on them for enrichment. I work in the produce department at a grocery store now and the smell walking into the cooler brings me the sense memory of the cooler at the zoo where all the primates’ produce was stored. This was a great video, I’ve gotten away from working with animals and it’s really nice to see this kind of thing when it’s not a part of my everyday life anymore. I’ll stop before I start infodumping about animal training lmao

[@MikeXiL]

thank for your sharing your brief history with us!

[@ronanmcintyre]

Its funny that the orangutans and gorillas wouldn't eat some vegetables unless they're cooked haha

[@JoletteRoodt]

I absolutely loved seeing this team at work, and all the wonderful creatures. This video was pure joy, thank you!

[@TheArrgh]

It's really cool to me that they target train them. We don't really think of fish as "trainable" often, much less "smart," but they're animals and like most animals they can learn to react to certain stimuli and engage with their environment and have their own personalities.

[@rlvids9889]

Fish deserve more fame and respect!

[@Naturalist1990]

I love how kenji is using his internet clout to draw attention to worthy causes. Stay gold kenji!

[@C1nderfire]

This was a very interesting video. I was very engaged in it. This should be a great series with different types of species. There’s definitely made me smile and appreciate the effort in work. These people put in to keep them healthy and alive

[@Era_0411]

I grew up in Seattle and I remember always loving going to the Seattle Aquarium.

[@TheNorwoodCat]

I have not been to the Seattle Aquarium in 14 years since I moved to Georgia. The Chattanooga Aquarium is really cool. I used to go to the Seattle one once a year for a long time! Love this video!

[@Katarjana]

I loved everything about this! (And as a pet care provider, I concur monitoring poo is very important. lol) Thanks to everyone for taking the time to create this little gem. : )

[@codysmith372]

if you have a Seattle Library card you can use it to get discounts or free tickets for the Aquarium and a bunch of other stuff around town!

[@CWorgen5732]

Wow. I loved EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS

[@lillypatience]

i don't think i've enjoyed a video this much in a long time. thanks kenji and the aquarium!

[@bcal5962]

Well...this was certainly a different kind of cooking episode! Really interesting

[@c.a.parker5036]

Fascinating ! It makes me really happy that the creatures get restaurant quality food and prep 😊❤

[@Pokadot101]

I love seahorses. I remember seeing a YT video of these little pink pygmy seahorses "fighting" which consisted of them clumsily headbutting each other. It was the cutest fight I've ever seen! lol

[@alexbradmckay]

Met Kenji at the lava fields in Oregon last week. It was a thrill. Nice guy! Thanks for your great videos.

[@AmberU]

So jealous you got to go behind the scenes but these animals lucked out look who’s preparing food for them!

[@emmaharrison1399]

Jumping in to the idea of Incredibly Bright Creatures.

[@squerry]

This is so amazing! Thank you for making this for us to learn. And thanks to the professionals for the care they show for the animals.

[@davidsanders7211]

Thank you very much 😂

[@elliotkeil6063]

Greatest of all time. The best chef of any species!

[@nick8422]

profile pic checks out

[@Jonpoo1]

So the house boat was the first step to learning to live amongst the sea creatures.

[@mikegmcg]

This video is amazing! Thanks Kenji for this look into how they work.

[@cellobert]

I’ll be going to the new aquarium ocean pavilion soon! Thanks for sharing this. So interesting!

[@number-1-furina-fan]

I love this video!!! I would love to see more of this type of content. and thank you for the guys gals and nonbinary pals at the end ❤

[@shllybkwrm]

That's his classic sign-off every video! 😊

[@rafadacosta1675]

And to think I almost skipped this video because it's not your "normal" content. Great video!

[@tomchamberlain4329]

I love the tub in the background labelled KRILL

[@rnkrnk335]

Amazing ❤ thank you ❤

[@PersonaRandomNumbers]

Cute video! I particularly liked the second half with all the cool sea creatures swimming around.

[@csdesjarlais9779]

Yes, this was exciting and interesting! Thank you!

[@CookinWithSquirrl]

Super cool! Thank you for sharing, sir!

[@EwanMacNeilage]

Probably the coolest video on KZbin ngl.

[@andyhaung8106]

Shabu would be so proud 🥹

[@chrisgordon9829]

Thanks Kenji!! So interesting! So freakin' cool!

[@permie]

Easy like. Thanks for the content - aquariums provided my profile pic!

[@cpp8227]

Fascinating! Thanks for sharing🙏

[@ChimpZealot50]

This was so cool, would love to see more of this kind of stuff!

[@kyebronwyn2980]

Well that was the best KZbin video ever

[@chefjeff1366]

"it's like a raw, deconstructed bouillabaisse" 😂😂😂

[@NickyKnickerson]

This was super interesting. I'm totally jealous, less so of the prep work than the feeding work, but still. ;)

[@MaryWehmeier]

One of your best vids ever!

[@AJisdabombsauce]

Represent!!

[@DefiantMe]

I wish you posted more video Kenji but I know you are a busy man

[@stephaniewaldhart6280]

This was SO COOL!!

[@pac27]

This is really good content for you. I hope you plan on doing more similar videos.

[@DeliaLee8]

Very cool! Learned a lot.

[@MR-sq2ut]

Sooo cool. I loved this video.

[@Hyper88]

These animals eat way better than me

[@DeliaLee8]

Ditto! 😅

[@nancycy9039]

And zero processed food!!

[@karip72]

Cool video. Thank you.

[@Veilure]

Hey Kenji! Can we get a reaction to Technology Connections’ video on induction woks? I’m really interested to see your input!

[@ObsidianRose10]

Fun fact: Most seahorses are monogamous in their relationships. Find a mate that is their mate for life, and they can often be seen swimming with their little tails linked together. That's like the coolest thing ever❤

[@ashcam1]

Very cool!!

[@littlepaws512]

Absolutely amazing video!!! I need the extended cut on patreon plz!!!!!!

[@jaeeasley5489]

You should visit Woodland Park next 😻

[@GladiolaGirl]

So cool! ❤❤❤

[@onemightymill]

wow loved this

[@Kriakye2435]

This is really cool!!!!

[@ahhhlindsanityyy]

Cool!

[@larspregge6420]

kewl video.

[@dereksbabble]

Alton's talking into the fridge shot!

[@CRUCISFIX]

Man I love aquatic animals. They got it all figured out

[@Kariwable]

omg love this lol

[@koskettaja609]

thanks for the video

[@colin5227]

I love this

[@tanyakilbane7636]

I was expecting a sauce or something special for your fin-ishing act! 😅

[@noahdinsdale257]

Awwww

[@sadrans444]

“Everybody loves poop.” -J.Kenji Lopez-Alt

[@jmaj4521]

this is so cool

[@peraltarockets]

I had no idea you could do conditioning style training on fish!

[@CarelessForce]

3:50 was that supposed to go in there lol

[@holahola4541]

its the "pen" of the squid aka the backbone so it's all edible to whatever animal they're feeding it to. definitely just looks like a piece of plastic discarded in there haha

[@sammerthahammer]

are those Cambros, bro?

[@MartinDoudoroffLLC]

Fun!

[@sammerthahammer]

nice, dude

[@doughboy490]

Did they explain why the squid need to have their beaks removed and be depinned? I’d think the critters would lose out on some important vitamin/minerals in that.

[@ColinBrislawn]

4:24 "Do you have restaurant experiance?" "..." YES... :-|

[@aZnPriDe707]

おもしろい！いいぞ。

[@michellelarson9983]

did you chop some pork add soy sauce /sugar /rice vinegar /sesame oil /pepper salt :P

[@DummyUrD]

I wonder why they need to prepare the food at all for the animals.

[@manicspidertrash91]

Just genuinely interested, if the rays are being released, does it not seem like a bad thing to have an animal that's relaxed around people?

[@gailjordan9250]

❤

[@CuddlyCthulhu]

@3:50 I don't think that quill belongs in there.

[@holahola4541]

it's the pen of the squid aka their backbone. it's part of the squid body. definitely looks like plastic though

[@CuddlyCthulhu]

@@holahola4541 They were specifically de-beaking and de-quilling the squid. It wasn't supposed to go in the container to be fed to the critters.

[@PersonaRandomNumbers]

I definitely toss in garlic skins or green bean ends into the food bowl instead of the compost pretty often, glad to see even Kenji does stuff like that lmao

[@Deagle123]

Maybe a stupid question, but why do they need to prep the food? Like, couldn't they just toss the dead crab as is into the tank? I'm assuming its so they can avoid any injuries from the fish having to chomp or chew through the crab, but I'm curious if there's more to it. Like, I wonder if the fish are so domesticated they can't feed as effectively as they would in the wild, similar to a domestic house cat or dog.

[@maw9153]

I have no idea either, but my guess is the same as yours, regarding the domestication

[@pg2826]

Probably because they have multiple creatures in the same pen. So they want to control who gets what

[@OctopusLady]

I used to work in zoos and aquariums taking care of aquatic animals, so I can answer your question! We'd chop up food like the crab for a couple different reasons. Some fish won't go after a dead crab because it won't trigger their hunting instinct, so just tossing it into the tank will just result in it sinking to the bottom. That's why you have to hand feed some fish, like the bowmouth guitarfish in the video! That said, if you tossed a live crab into their tank, they'd probably go after it with no issues. Secondly, the fish like the bowmouth guitarfish could *probably* eat the whole crab, but some fish are messy eaters! They might bite the crab in half, or some of the legs might fall out of their mouth when they're chewing on it, or whatever! Then those uneaten crab chunks will sink to the bottom of the tank and rot, which will ruin the water quality and potentially make your animals sick. So you can either spend a bunch of time after every feeding trying to fish out all the uneaten food...or you can take two seconds to cut the crab up into smaller pieces.

[@rlvids9889]

They also often hand feed the individual chunks of food while training and interacting with the animals like in the video. It also makes sure each animal gets the amount it needs rather than having one steal all the food. Often each animal gets a specific box of food prepared each day based on their health needs, weight, etc. They can also use the target training to separate individual animals to be fed in different spaces so they don’t steal from each other.

[@Deagle123]

Sir Kenji has the coolest reply guys. Thanks for the info, amazing to learn!

[@Check_5_]

They not ready for when I dress up in a shark suit and get to chow down on gourmet raw seafood

[@OmniversalInsect]

If you have a lot of money you actually can keep stingrays and small shark species as an amateur, of course they will need massive tanks though.

[@LikeBOOMCA]

Can’t wait to cook this for my little child later today!

[@costatubhd958]

SEATTLE MENTIONED

[@Svirena]

his name is djorje zlatanovic im his son

[@mikealphaxray228]

Squapelid

[@scottwilliamherman9384]

Hi Kenji, this is unrelated to this video, but it's your most recent post, so I thought I'd give it a try. Anyway, you don’t know me, but I live just up north of you in Bellingham WA. Long story short, we’re having a Hatch Green Chile roasting party in our backyard on September 7th 2024, and we’d like to invite you. It’s also my wife’s birthday and she used to live in NM so she’s kind of obsessed with Hatch Green Chiles. This year I’m building her a Chile Roaster that goes over our fire pit (instead of using gas burners) and at the beginning of the party we’ll be roasting a bunch of Chiles. After that we’ll be serving NM Green Chile Stew and Chocolate Destruction Cake and other guests are bringing sides/snacks. We’ll also have live music. Anyway, you’re probably wondering “WTF is this guy thinking?”, but I figure nothing ventured nothing gained. Besides, we’ve enjoyed enough of your recipes and cookbooks that it would be nice to give something back. Also, Bellingham is a cool town and only an hour and a half from Seattle. If you do come up, we can suggest any number of things you can do to make a bigger trip out of it. Anway, if you’re interested, reach out, and if not, have a great day. On a related note, we have an outdoor wok burner that you didn’t try in your test. (www.thewonderwok.com/) not sure how powerful it is, but if you’re not careful you can easily set the oil on fire and get the bottom glowing red, so I’m pretty sure it’s sufficient. Looks pretty similar to the PowerFlamer 160 that you recommend. Anyway, if you come to the party you’re welcome to try it out.

[@Scorpion573]

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