A hot dog made out of octopus. It looks like a normal high-end hot dog, with a sausage in a bun, covered in streaks of mustard and sprinkled with onions.
The octo-dog will be on sale in spring at venues like The Rockmount and Slaughterhouse. (Randall's Group)

When life gives you lemons, the old saying goes, make lemonade. But, what should you do when life gives you an octopus bloom?

Turn them into hot dogs?

That’s the innovative solution one Guernsey chef is serving up.

Antonio Alderuccio, Executive Chef for the Randall’s Group, came up with the ‘octo-dog’ as a “creative and practical” response to the explosion of local octopus numbers.

The new dish is “a succulent sausage with a texture close to a traditional sausage, while delivering a distinctive coastal flavour”, he told Express.

‘Sustainability isn’t a trend’

While he’s reluctant to call it a “world first”, Mr Alderuccio has put a lot of thought into making the flavour and texture as palatable and familiar as possible for local and visiting diners.

An octopus tentacle slapped in a bun with some ketchup, this is not.

In order to create the perfect sausage-like texture, he’s crafted a three-stage process to break down the proteins – involving boiling, steaming and then slow-cooking the octopus meat at a low heat in vacuum bags.

A male chef with no hair and a well-kept goatee beard, wearing a white chef’s jacket stands behind a metal countertop in a restaurant or wine‑bar setting. Behind the chef, several vertical columns of horizontally mounted wine bottles line the wall. To the left are stacked containers and folded towels on a side surface. The lighting highlights both the chef’s jacket and the organized display of wine bottles.
Executive Chef Antonio Alderuccio has developed a three-stage process to create a sausage-like texture for the octo-dogs.

Mr Alderuccio said the octo-dog is made using locally-caught octopus, kaffir lime grown on the island and chipotle made from Guernsey chillies, in keeping with the chain’s “local-first approach”.

“Sustainability isn’t a trend – it’s a practical commitment that guides how we think about food, sourcing and our role in Guernsey’s wider community,” he added.

Randall’s was also developing a cured version of the sausage, inspired by chorizo, to “expand the ways octopus can be enjoyed”, he said.

The octo-dogs will be sold at selected Randall’s venues – including The Rockmount and Slaughterhouse – from spring, with prices set to be “affordable and accessible”.

A sliced hotdog-style sandwich made from octopus meat sits on a dark surface. The cross‑section reveals a filling of chopped octopus mixed with other ingredients, surrounded by a soft bread roll. Green garnishes and a decorative leaf are placed on top. The background shows an out‑of‑focus stainless‑steel kitchen workspace.
Pictured: The octo-dog is served on a brioche bun, with locally-foraged samphire and cress, caramelised onions, a garlic confit and topped with Dijon mustard and a sprinkling of seaweed dust.

While sustainability is clearly important to Mr Alderuccio, he said the real test is whether the public enjoys the taste.

First taste – Express’ exclusive review

Our intrepid reporter Jack Silver visited the kitchen at La Reunion to become the first person outside the Randall’s Group to try an octo-dog.

With his warm, Sicilian charm, Antonio’s passion for locally-sourced produce really shone through when I sat down with him.

Having run vegan and gluten-free fine dining restaurants in London and Milan, food – for him – is about “bringing people together”.

It’s clear the octo-dog is no cynical money-making move, nor is it a ‘gold leaf pizza’ marketing stunt.

But, is it a valiant – yet unsuccessful – attempt at something bold and innovative? Or might the octo-dog be a taste of what the future holds?

A person wearing a white chef’s jacket is standing in a commercial kitchen, cooking a sausage in a pan on a stovetop. Stainless‑steel counters, shelves, and kitchen equipment surround the workspace.
Pictured: The octopus sausage is browned in a pan without oil, before being put in the oven.

I’ll be honest, I was nervous.

I love seafood and I love hotdogs, but would I be left with a ‘fishy’ aftertaste?

However, as I saw – and smelled – my meal being prepared by Antonio and his team the nerves quickly started to ease.

The octopus sausage looked like a traditional sausage – and quite a hefty one at that.

It’s served on a lightly-toasted brioche bun, with locally-foraged samphire and cress, caramelised onions and a garlic confit – all topped with Dijon mustard and a sprinkling of seaweed dust.

Earlier, Antonio had told me that he loved the rapid feedback he received as a chef.

“People’s body language doesn’t lie,” he confided, “They can say anything with their mouth, but you know if they enjoyed your food.”

A close-up of hands assembling a gourmet hot dog in a brioche-style bun. The sausage is topped with mustard, sautéed vegetables, and small red-veined leaves, arranged carefully on a dark slate surface.

The ‘hot dogtopus’ looked delicious – like a photo from a celebrity cook book. But how would it taste?

As I bit in, I couldn’t help cracking into a smile – and Antonio’s eyes lit up.

“You see, that second bite – the body language doesn’t lie,” he beamed.

If I hadn’t have known this wasn’t a ‘real’ hotdog, I would never have guessed the main ingredient.

The texture was indistinguishable from a traditional sausage, like a succulent high-end hotdog you might discover at a gastropub or a street food stall.

There was a subtle ‘taste of the sea’, but it was far more nuanced than I’d expected. Nine parts sausage, one part scampi – like a classy ‘Surf and Turf’ in a brioche bun.

Without doubt, Randall’s have a hit on their hands. I confidently predict seeing lines of party-goers queuing up for their beer and octo-dog combo at a balcony gig this summer.

Our verdict?

8 tentacles out of 8 – the octo-dog is absolutely kraken.