Chrissy Teigen, queen of social media and author of the cookbook, “Cravings,” took to Twitter to respond to negative comments made by fellow food author, Alison Roman in an interview with New Consumer. Roman spoke out about how Teigen has capitalized on her brand, leading many fans of Teigan to jump to her defense.
Following 15 years of culinary experience, Alison Roman has become a successful bestselling author, building her brand, not unlike Teigen, on simplifying recipes for the everyday cook and delivering her expertise with a candid attitude. Roman’s ability to speak her mind, which initally attracted many readers to her, backfired when she went public with her thoughts on Teigen.
Roman said, “What Chrissy Teigen has done is so crazy to me. She had a successful cookbook. And then it was like: Boom, line at Target. Boom, now she has an Instagram page that has over a million followers where it’s just, like, people running a content farm for her.” She continued, “That horrifies me, and it’s not something that I ever want to do. I don’t aspire to that. But like, who’s laughing now? Because she’s making a ton of f—ing money.”
Teigen quickly responded in a Twitter thread, “This is a huge bummer and hit me hard. I have made her recipes for years now, bought the cookbooks, supported her on social and praised her in interviews. I even signed on to executive produce the very show she talks about doing in this article.”
Teigan also responded to the accusation that her Instagram page was not entirely her own original content. “I started Cravings because I wanted something for myself. I wanted something John didn’t buy. Cravings isn’t a ‘machine’ or ‘farmed content’ — it’s me and 2 other women.”
“It has been crappy to deal with this all day but I couldn’t not say something. I know the actual tears I put into the work I do and it’s really hard to see someone try to completely invalidate it. Someone I really liked.”
She continued, “there are many days I cry very hard because cravings, the site, is our baby we love to pump content onto. we do this work ourselves, and there is NO monetary gain yet. it is just work work work and the reward is you liking it. so to be called a sellout….hooooo it hurts”
After recieving backlash online, Roman apologized to Teigen on Twitter, stating, “Hi @chrissyteigen! I sent an email but also wanted to say here that I’m genuinely sorry I caused you pain with what I said,” Roman wrote. “I shouldn’t have used you /your business (or Marie’s!) as an example to show what I wanted for my own career – it was flippant, careless and I’m so sorry.” She continued, stating, “being a woman who takes down other women is absolutely not my thing and don’t think it’s yours, either,” she added. “I hope we can meet one day, I think we’d probably get along.”
While Teigan’s name was at the front of this controversy, Roman also received backlash for her similar critique of Marie Kondo from the same interview.
Marie Condo is a lifestyle expert and star of the Netflix show, “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo” centered around the concept of throwing out all the stuff in your home that doesn’t “spark joy.”
Regarding Kondo’s brand empire, Roman said, “when Marie Kondo decided to capitalize on her fame and make stuff that you can buy, that is completely antithetical to everything she’s ever taught you. I’m like, damn, bitch, you f—ing just sold out immediately! Someone’s like ‘you should make stuff,’ and she’s like, ‘okay, slap my name on it, I don’t give a s–t!”
Roman later released a more lengthy and thorough apology to both Teigen and Kondo on Twitter. She also responded specifically to observations that her criticisms were directed at two women of color. “I’m not the victim here, and my insecurities don’t excuse this behavior,” she wrote. “I’m a white woman who has and will continue to benefit from white privilege and I recognize that makes what I said even more inexcusable.”
Kondo has not commented on the situation, and it is unclear whether or not Teigen and Roman have made amends.
Photo Source: Cravings By Chrissy Teigen
