This rare Aussie crab took 15 years to grow—a social media influencer eating it has stirred up old values
- Replies 18
A recent culinary adventure has sparked a heated debate online, capturing the attention of food lovers and conservationists alike.
What began as a curious exploration into a rare seafood delicacy soon ignited strong reactions from viewers around the world.
The story reveals the complexities of balancing indulgence with respect for nature’s slow-growing giants.
A British food blogger with over 1.8 million followers faced backlash after sharing a video of himself eating a massive crab known to live for up to 30 years.
Tod Inskip, who posts as Eating With Tod on social media, visited the Sydney Fish Market during a trip to Australia and devoured an eight-kilogram Tasmanian Giant Crab.
In his video, he filmed himself picking the live, 15-year-old crab from a tank before showing it off to the camera.
The crab, which cost $2000, was then deep-fried and cooked in a wok with Singapore chilli sauce as part of the preparation process.
Tasmanian Giant Crabs are among the largest crab species in the world, growing up to 17.6 kilograms and prized by seafood lovers for their rarity and commercial value.
However, their slow growth and late maturity make them vulnerable to overfishing, raising concerns among conservationists about sustainable fishing practices.
Mr Inskip began his video by saying: ‘We’re in Sydney trying an 8.5kg Tasmanian King Crab.’
He added: ‘The price tag is $2000. Tasmanian Kings can live up to 30 years. Holding this thing was like holding a bodybuilder of the sea.’
Source: TikTok/EatingWithTodd
While selecting and holding the crab, he noticed that passers-by gave him attention ‘like I was on the red carpet’.
He explained the cooking method, saying: ‘They start by deep frying the King Crab, then they mix it in a wok with the Singapore chilli sauce. Then in goes the head where they remove all that brain cheese to add to the sauce before serving it up over a bowl of noodles.’
Mr Inskip admitted he felt nervous about eating such a large creature, saying: ‘I’m actually kind of scared. It feels like I’m about to eat a dinosaur under the sea. What are they feeding this guy?’
Once the dish was served, he compared the claws to ‘a giant turkey leg’ and described the meat as tasting like chicken but ‘so soft and so much sweeter’.
The video quickly went viral, amassing over 1.4 million views, but many viewers were unhappy with his decision to eat the crab.
One fan wrote: ‘I normally love and support your content. This took it too far.’
Another commented: ‘That crab was majestic and took 15 years to grow just to be a meal for you. There’s something called having honour for the life around us.’
A third remarked: ‘Yes, people eat chicken and beef. But you don’t slaughter and kill them live in front of you? Maybe you should start filming that too and posting it? Unfollowing.’
Others expressed similar sentiments, such as: ‘I’m not even a vegetarian but damn, 30 years just to end up on someone’s plate,’ and, ‘I eat meat and seafood, but this seems unnecessary. We don’t have to eat everything.’
A spokesperson for Sydney Fish Market shared that ‘Retailers at Sydney Fish Market are advised to handle and process live crustaceans in accordance with the RSPCA guidelines’.
Despite the criticism, some viewers praised the video, with one saying the crab ‘looked good’ and another calling it their ‘dream’ experience.
Others simply wrote: ‘OMG that’s wild’, ‘Yum’ and ‘I bet it tastes divine’.
Mr Inskip had been contacted for comment.
In a previous story, another influencer faced widespread criticism for their controversial wildlife content.
The reaction highlighted the fine line between entertainment and ethical responsibility online.
Read more to see how public opinion continues to shape influencer behaviour.
With such strong feelings about eating rare and long-lived creatures like the Tasmanian Giant Crab, where do you stand on balancing culinary adventure with conservation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
What began as a curious exploration into a rare seafood delicacy soon ignited strong reactions from viewers around the world.
The story reveals the complexities of balancing indulgence with respect for nature’s slow-growing giants.
A British food blogger with over 1.8 million followers faced backlash after sharing a video of himself eating a massive crab known to live for up to 30 years.
Tod Inskip, who posts as Eating With Tod on social media, visited the Sydney Fish Market during a trip to Australia and devoured an eight-kilogram Tasmanian Giant Crab.
In his video, he filmed himself picking the live, 15-year-old crab from a tank before showing it off to the camera.
Influencer sparks outrage eating 15-year-old crab. Image source: TikTok/EatingWithTodd
The crab, which cost $2000, was then deep-fried and cooked in a wok with Singapore chilli sauce as part of the preparation process.
Tasmanian Giant Crabs are among the largest crab species in the world, growing up to 17.6 kilograms and prized by seafood lovers for their rarity and commercial value.
However, their slow growth and late maturity make them vulnerable to overfishing, raising concerns among conservationists about sustainable fishing practices.
Mr Inskip began his video by saying: ‘We’re in Sydney trying an 8.5kg Tasmanian King Crab.’
He added: ‘The price tag is $2000. Tasmanian Kings can live up to 30 years. Holding this thing was like holding a bodybuilder of the sea.’
Source: TikTok/EatingWithTodd
While selecting and holding the crab, he noticed that passers-by gave him attention ‘like I was on the red carpet’.
He explained the cooking method, saying: ‘They start by deep frying the King Crab, then they mix it in a wok with the Singapore chilli sauce. Then in goes the head where they remove all that brain cheese to add to the sauce before serving it up over a bowl of noodles.’
Mr Inskip admitted he felt nervous about eating such a large creature, saying: ‘I’m actually kind of scared. It feels like I’m about to eat a dinosaur under the sea. What are they feeding this guy?’
Once the dish was served, he compared the claws to ‘a giant turkey leg’ and described the meat as tasting like chicken but ‘so soft and so much sweeter’.
The video quickly went viral, amassing over 1.4 million views, but many viewers were unhappy with his decision to eat the crab.
One fan wrote: ‘I normally love and support your content. This took it too far.’
Another commented: ‘That crab was majestic and took 15 years to grow just to be a meal for you. There’s something called having honour for the life around us.’
A third remarked: ‘Yes, people eat chicken and beef. But you don’t slaughter and kill them live in front of you? Maybe you should start filming that too and posting it? Unfollowing.’
Others expressed similar sentiments, such as: ‘I’m not even a vegetarian but damn, 30 years just to end up on someone’s plate,’ and, ‘I eat meat and seafood, but this seems unnecessary. We don’t have to eat everything.’
A spokesperson for Sydney Fish Market shared that ‘Retailers at Sydney Fish Market are advised to handle and process live crustaceans in accordance with the RSPCA guidelines’.
Despite the criticism, some viewers praised the video, with one saying the crab ‘looked good’ and another calling it their ‘dream’ experience.
Others simply wrote: ‘OMG that’s wild’, ‘Yum’ and ‘I bet it tastes divine’.
Mr Inskip had been contacted for comment.
In a previous story, another influencer faced widespread criticism for their controversial wildlife content.
The reaction highlighted the fine line between entertainment and ethical responsibility online.
Read more to see how public opinion continues to shape influencer behaviour.
With such strong feelings about eating rare and long-lived creatures like the Tasmanian Giant Crab, where do you stand on balancing culinary adventure with conservation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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. The fish market are apparently following RSPCA guidelines, well in cases like this, a “rare”, long living creature, I think they need reviewing.
it must have munched on a lot of dead 
bodies to grow that big 
one reason I’ve never eaten crab 
plus it’s my star 
sign.
