Podcast Episode 230: Invasive Plants Are Delicious: Culinary Alchemy with Pascal Baudar
What if the most overlooked plants in your backyard were not just edible but downright gourmet? In this episode of the Wild Fish and Game Podcast, Justin Townsend and Adam Berkelmans sit down with Pascal Baudar, a pioneering wild food educator and fermentation expert, to talk about the untapped potential of invasive plants, traditional food preservation methods, and how our relationship with nature could be transformed through taste. From wild mustards and elderberry vinegar to stinging nettle wines and pinecone syrup, the conversation dives deep into the wild pantry, where forgotten ingredients and ancient techniques come together in creative and sustainable ways.
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Pascal Baudar is no ordinary forager. Based in California, Baudar is a professional wild food instructor, fermentation wizard, and the author of four celebrated books on wild crafting, brewing, and food preservation, with a fifth book on edible grains and seeds on the way. Named one of the 25 most influential tastemakers in LA by Los Angeles Magazine, Pascal has made it his mission to uncover and revive ancient foodways while making them accessible to modern cooks. But his story began in a small Belgian village, where, as he puts it, “there was nothing to do, so I spent most of my time in the forest… My neighbor was a cow.”
Introduced to wild plants by his grandmother, Pascal grew up with a deep respect for nature’s pantry, long before words like “foraging” and “wild food” became trendy. His journey took him from the fine arts to graphic design before a Y2K survival course rekindled his love for wild food. “In 1999, I took some survival classes,” he said, “and one had a wild food component. I remember thinking, ‘This is what I want to do with my life.’”
The episode explores a central theme in Pascal’s work: the need to reframe how we see invasive species. Instead of treating them as nuisances to be eradicated, Pascal encourages us to embrace their culinary value. “Black mustard is everywhere in LA,” he explains, holding a bowl of freshly picked leaves. “People want to spray Roundup on it, but I’m over here lacto-fermenting it into gourmet condiments. It’s not just food—it’s good food.”
Pascal sees this as both a personal and environmental philosophy. “When I look at a plant, especially an invasive one, I ask: What are its edible parts? How can I preserve it? How can I use it to make something beautiful, delicious, and sustainable?” This lens of “culinary alchemy” extends to vinegar, beer, soda, and salt-preserved herbs—many made using wild yeast and bacteria he forages himself. “I always say, I’m not just foraging plants. I’m foraging microbes.”
One of the episode’s most fascinating segments dives into food preservation. “If you’re serious about wild food,” Pascal explains, “it’s really all about preservation techniques. Because when the growing season ends, especially in dry Southern California, your green pantry disappears.” That insight led him to dedicate years to mastering lacto-fermentation, yeast brewing, and vinegar making—all of which he now teaches to others through workshops and books.
Justin and Adam were blown away. “It’s amazing how dedicated you are,” Justin said. “People talk about passion, but not many go as far as dedicating 25 years to learning from botanists, chefs, survivalists, and even grandmas at the olive bar.”
Pascal’s humor and humility shine throughout the episode. “I tried to live off wild food for a year,” he laughs. “I thought I knew enough. Turns out I didn’t. I lost a ton of weight. I was like, maybe I just invented a new diet plan.” But that failed experiment taught him what wild food demands: planning, knowledge, and above all, preservation. “That year taught me more than a hundred successful recipes ever could.”
For Pascal, foraging is also about reconnecting with ancestry and cultural identity. “Many of the so-called invasive plants in California are the traditional crops of my ancestors in Europe. Wild barley, nettles, brome grasses—they’re all foods you find in archaeological sites and bog bodies. When I cook with them, I’m not just being creative—I’m remembering who I am.”
Another highlight of the conversation is Pascal’s take on DIY brewing and herbal wines. He describes a stinging nettle wine that becomes a vinegar, which then turns into a base for wild Dijon mustard. “Once you taste the real thing, you can’t go back,” he says, lifting a jar. “This is better than anything you’ll find in a store. It’s alive with flavor.”
Listeners will find endless inspiration, from simple starter tips like learning one plant a week to mind-blowing ingredients like insect honeydew (yes, it tastes like Rice Krispies) and pinecone syrup that “tastes like Christmas.” Pascal’s mission is not just to make wild food delicious—but to show that food can be a form of ecological activism. “Instead of destroying invasive plants, we can eat them. That’s a form of restoration too.”
As the episode wraps up, Pascal leaves us with a vision for a more flavorful and environmentally conscious future: “I think we can create a cuisine that is beneficial to the environment. And when you use native plants, plant them. One walnut tree can feed generations. That’s how we pass it on.”
This episode is a must-listen for foragers, foodies, chefs, and anyone curious about building a more profound, tastier, and more sustainable relationship with the land around them. Whether you’re new to wild food or already fermenting your own mugwort beer, Pascal’s insights will leave you inspired to see the landscape—and your kitchen—in a whole new way.
Listen to the full episode now wherever you get your podcasts.
Don’t forget to follow Pascal on Instagram @pascalbaudar for recipes, classes, and a glimpse into his one-of-a-kind wild kitchen.