Chefs gather around MasterChef star Philli Armitage-Mattin after accusations of racism

Chefs have rallied around MasterChef: professional finalist Philli Armitage Mattin, who was embroiled in an online battle last week when Instagram users accused her of racism and labeled Asian food “dirty”.

Aktar Islam, who won the Great British Menu in 2011 and Gordon Ramsay’s The F Word the previous year, defended the 28-year-old, who has a mixed British and Indian heritage and criticized “cancel culture” and “evil social media users”.

London-based Philli, who will appear next week in the final of the 13th series on the BBC One show, has since clarified her comments.Never disparagingly labeled “dirty” Asian food.

The star had “Dirty Food Refined”, “Asian Food Specialist” and the hashtag #prettydirtyfood on her Instagram bio, which raises allegations of racism and cultural appropriation, although “dirty” is a general term that refers to indulgent street food .

Paul Foster, the chef at Michelin-starred Salt in Startford-upon-Avon, took to Twitter to defend the young chef, telling them to “ignore the haters” and “it’s a phrase that used in many different kitchens. ”

Well, sAktar, who was born in Birmingham this week to Bangladeshi parents and guest judge for MasterChef, defended Phili, saying that the culture of demolition “can stifle the progression of border crossings”.

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Philli’s Instagram page has had lots of photos from her travels in Southeast Asia for years. She often shares dishes that were prepared and inspired in the region. She is pictured on the left in Hong Kong and on the right in the Philippines

Philli, who will appear next week in the BBC One show’s 13th series finale, has since clarified her comments, stating that she has never disparagingly labeled Asian food “dirty”

‘Philli is unique for her style. While others are mainly rooted in the classic training of their respective cuisines, she looks to the street food culture of Asia. Korean fried chicken and Japanese savory pancake okonomiyaki are among their dishes in these early stages, ”he said.

‘Philli is sadly embroiled in a nasty case of abandonment culture on social media. Her mistake was calling the style of cooking “dirty”, a slang term often attributed to fried foods that are usually eaten with the hands.

“Google” dirty food “and you will find recipes for burger, fried chicken, and hot dogs in chili.

“It’s the fuel that supplies the anti-clean brigade with bibs and wet wipes.

Philli took to Instagram after an attack and said she had mixed Indian and English heritage. She shared a photo with her parents

Philli used the term to describe the food she cooked, and so became the target of a group who accused her of cultural appropriation and, worse, implied that Asian food was dirty.

‘The argument for them was simple; The stereotype of Asian takeaways and restaurants of yesteryear was that they were dirty in a hygienic sense. Philli used the term in some way and only left the door of the coffin ajar, ”he added.

Philli has shared a lot about how her cuisine has been shaped by her travels in Japan and Indonesia, and she has also worked on the Michelin-starred HAKU in Hong Kong, as well as Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants in London.

Aktar, who was born in Birmingham this week to Bangladeshi parents and guest judge for MasterChef, defended Phili exclusively with FEMAIL, saying that the culture of demolition “can stifle the progression of border crossings”.

For years, her Instagram page has been full of photos from her travels in Southeast Asia, often sharing dishes prepared and inspired in the region.

Last week, Philli was exposed to trolls telling her to run away and “whites shouldn’t cook Asian food” after sharing a series of videos cooking Korean, Chinese and Japanese kitchens.

Evil trolls attacked her appearance and called her racist, while others scolded each other and called themselves “Asian food specialist”.

Others said it was unacceptable to label their dishes as “dirty food refined”, suggesting that they label East Asian food as “dirty”.

She later clarified her comments, saying that “dirty” referred to indulgent street food and that she was “personally annoyed” by “direct messages”.

Shown are dishes by Philli, including mackerel (left) and Korean fried chicken (right).

Following a backlash on social media, Philli shared a statement that she had “never called Asian food dirty”.

Aktar, whose father and grandfather both ran curry houses in Birmingham, added that he was a victim of racist trolling.

The chef who runs the Michelin-starred Opheem in Birmingham focuses on using Indian flavors in a modern European setting.

“I grew up with knowledge [dirty] Asian stereotype all too good. Like many Asians who grew up in the UK in the 1980s, I personally faced this.

“I have seen ignorant racism from those who assumed that all brown-skinned people are equal and more malicious attacks from die-hard racists,” he added.

“But the online attacks on a young chef like Philli don’t suit me well. She is obviously passionate about Asian street food, from the street vendors in Singapore to the corner carts in Mumbai.

Philli has been a victim of evil trolls online, and many have said her kitchen is cultural appropriation

“To my mind, the use of the term has nothing to do with the environment in which it is cooked and anything to do with the techniques with which it was made and the way it is eaten .

“Maybe it was misplaced, but personally I don’t see the difference between calling fried chicken from Kansas as dirty or fried chicken from Korea. She has since apologized on social media, clarified her stance and removed the term, but the vitriol continues, ”he added.

“Maybe my disappointment comes from a deeper place. I have long been the target of online trolls who want to attack my lack of Muslim values despite being an atheist.

Pictured Philli often shares videos and photos of her kitchen on Instagram, despite terrible comments

Aktar Islam, who runs the Michelin-starred Opheem Indian restaurant in Birmingham, has said the culture of abandonment hinders creativity

‘The main thought behind Opheem – my typical restaurant – was to provide an experience that everyone can enjoy, regardless of their beliefs or origins. It’s very personal to me as the menu takes inspiration from my heritage and takes it to a new, sophisticated level.

“We have received massive criticism of the use of pork on the menu, despite the fact that Indians eat 300 million tons of it a year and this is an integral part of the authenticity of the vindaloo that inspired a particular dish.

“Yes, my last name is Islam, but that doesn’t affect who I am as a person, much like I don’t make assumptions about people named Christian. This level of abuse is commonplace on social media.

“I also understand how race and culture can inadvertently be used to suppress advanced artistic freedom.

Aktar, who guest-reviewed the episode of MasterChef this week, said the trolling “stifles the progression of those who cross the line”.

“I was ridiculed for opening an Italian restaurant, even though this particular cuisine and this country are a favorite of mine. It was the only Italian in Birmingham to be listed in the Michelin Guide.

“Did Jamie Oliver really deserve the hatred he felt for his rice or paella recipes? Of course not, he used his skills as a chef to reinterpret global flavors for a British palate.

“Like any creative process, food is very subjective. There is no right or wrong, no defining level of perfection. The reality is that our industry no longer has talented young chefs like Philli.

“We should praise her for putting these dishes in the spotlight on prime-time television, not trying to blot them out for a misplaced umbrella food style.

“The danger is that by trying to cancel people if they clearly mean no harm, we send a message further afield that it is not okay to question the norms and, as such, to suppress the progression of these transgressions .

“I fear that if we exclude those who use their ability to say otherwise, we will turn the world into a far less colorful place.”

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