Opinion | ‘Diarrhoea on a plate’: attacks on British-Chinese takeaway food from US TikTok users are an insult to the immigrants who birthed this cuisine to suit UK palates
- US TikTok users’ comments on viral videos of British-Chinese takeaway food have likened it to ‘diarrhoea’ and ‘mould’, saying ‘nothing about it is Chinese’
- This has struck a nerve with ‘takeaway kids’ like me, who have risen up to defend the food of their parents
Back in 2000, when I started helping out at my parents’ Chinese takeaway in Cumbria, in northwest England, the most popular items we sold were house special curry with fried rice (£4.50); a combo of chips and curry (£1.80); and sweet and sour chicken with chips (£4.30).
Even now, 23 years later, I can confidently say these are among the most frequently ordered items at Chinese takeaways across Britain, with love for the dishes spread across the country.
But in the past week, American TikTok users have been horrified by videos of British content creators unboxing and plating their own popular Chinese takeaway orders.
Objectively, I get it. When you put it all on a plate it can look very fried and very, very beige. “Where’s the broccoli beef? Where’s the string beans?” asked American TikTok user @stayathomenojob.
