Australian YouTuber says Indian food contains 'dirt spices', gets schooled. See post

Sydney Watson's comments quickly sparked outrage, with many defending the global appeal and historical significance of Indian cuisine.

Australian journalist and YouTuber Dr Sydney Watson recently faced backlash after her controversial remarks about Indian food on X (formerly Twitter). Known for her outspoken opinions, Watson described Indian food as tasting like "burning" and labelled its spices as "dirt spices." The comments, made in response to a viral post about Indian cuisine, have ignited widespread criticism from food lovers and social media users alike.

The controversy began when a Texas man shared an image of a lavish Indian meal, captioning it with: “Indian food is the best on Earth. Fight me.” The post featured a selection of curries, kebabs, rice, and chutneys, which quickly gained traction, accumulating over 26 million views.

Indian food is the best on earth. Fight me. pic.twitter.com/Q4cw2Dgg5g
Jeff (@_FlipMan) September 15, 2024

However, not everyone was of the same opinion. While many users responded positively, celebrating the rich diversity of global cuisines, Watson's reaction took a different tone.

Dismissing Indian cuisine as "not the best on Earth," Watson criticised the use of spices, writing, “If your food requires you to put dirt spices all over it in order for it to be palatable, your food is not good.” She further defined anything beyond basic seasonings like “salt, pepper, and cinnamon” as “dirt spices.”

If your food requires you to put dirt spices all over it in order for it to be palatable, your food is not good.Dr. Sydney Watson (@SydneyLWatson) September 16, 2024

Her comments quickly sparked outrage, with many defending the global appeal and historical significance of Indian cuisine. One user responded, “Poor taste. Indian food is among the top tier cuisines of flavor sophistication, given the complexity of spices used in balance--each of which also happen to be medicinal in various ways. Doctor. To disparage it is to demonstrate a deficit in culinary appreciation."

Another took aim at her dismissal of Indian spices, stating, “European countries used to go to war for control over the spice trade in India.”

Others schooled Watson, with one person commenting, “From reading her comments she probably thinks mayonnaise is too spicy.” Another added, “The same ‘dirt spices’ were once valuable enough to spark wars. Maybe there’s something to be said for adding a little flavour to life, huh?”

"Gordon Ramsay says you’re wrong, and he knows more about food than you, I’m sure of it," a user remarked.

The exchange has led to a broader discussion on social media about cultural appreciation and respect for global cuisines, with users pointing out that culinary diversity is part of the world’s rich cultural heritage.