A TikToker named Tini made mac and cheese and it broke the internet

A year-old mac and cheese recipe from TikTok user Tini continues to cause controversy for its complexity, its perceived appropriation of black culture, and more.

What is the Tini mac and cheese drama on TikTok?

On Nov. 12, 2023, a TikTok user named Tini posted a video of how she makes the "best" mac and cheese...and it is not for the faint of heart. The recipe is extremely involved, calling for an intense two-and-a-half pounds of mozzarella, Colby Jack, and cheddar cheese, all grated by hand. Not only that, the recipe uses Cavatappi—not elbow macaroni—as the pasta, all finished off with a complicated cheese roux.

While many people attest to the superiority and supreme deliciousness of Tini's mac and cheese, some users are taking issue with the recipe's inaccessibility and its appropriation of black culture. Still others believe those offended are being too reactionary, and that the internet should leave Tini and her mac and cheese recipe alone.

What is the actual recipe for Tini's mac and cheese?

According to All Recipes, Tini's mac and cheese calls for 1 pound of cooked Cavatappi, 16 ounces of Colby Jack Cheese, 16 ounces of mozzarella cheese, and 16 ounces of cheddar cheese, all hand-grated. It also calls for garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, butter, flour, evaporated milk, heavy cream, and Dijon mustard.

So what's the deal with the unconventional pasta type used in this recipe? According to Tini, “I use corkscrews because all that cream gets all up in there, so you bite into the cream and cheeseiness. It’s better than elbow pasta.” And, the internet seems to agree.

Who is Tini?

Tini Younger is a social media Chef/Influencer, and formerly a contestant on Next Level Chef season 2. She also stars in From Scratch with Tini on YouTube Bite Orginials and regularly makes recipes on TikTok that she shares with her 8.7 million followers.

Why is Tini's mac and cheese controversial?

Tini's mac and cheese, which has over 69 million views and has been recreated hundreds of times on the internet, is controversial for two reasons: the complexity of the recipe and its perceived cultural appropriation. After she posted the video last year, the mac and cheese became so popular that Tini herself said she had trouble finding the recipe's ingredients.

And then, there is the cultural backlash. Tini—a white woman—has been under fire from users who believe she is appropriating black culture by way of making and revising the mac and cheese recipe. When the recipe regained popularity as this year's Thanksgiving approached, X user @HenriettaSnacks called out Tini for "teaching us how to make our own mac and cheese." Many agreed with @HenriettaSnacks, but others did not.

The backlash to the backlash

Other X users responded to @HenriettaSnacks and Tini's critics, saying that those who whistleblow the chef are overthinking it; that Tini is and was simply trying to make a delicious side, just in time for the holidays.

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