guides
Who Are The 'Seasoning Police?' Zoe Barrie's Cooking Advice Explained
Cooking content on the internet is a universal pleasure, as made evident by the scores of people watching someone cook something they themselves will never actually make. But the fact that most people cook, even if they don't cook well, make internet chefs a unique target for holier-than-thou harassment.
This was the case for TikTok chef Zoe Barrie, whose attempt to set her trolls right turned into a bizarre and racially charged online event. Here's the lore: Barrie's original gripe, and how it turned into some people using the phrase "Seasoning Police" as a substitute for Black people.
What Was Zoe Barrie's 'Seasoning Police' Video?
Zoe Barrie is a TikTok chef and content creator who posted a video showing herself cooking chicken in a relatively simple fresh onion and garlic concoction. After receiving various comments begging her to "PLEASE SEASON YOUR CHICKEN," Barrie posted a video hitting back at the so-called "seasoning police."
@zoebarrie a true ✨family meal✨ 🤌🏼 (s/o to my aunt for sending us home with a half loaf of ciabatta) #familymeal #easydinner ♬ original sound – Zoe Barrie
@zoebarrie Replying to @hudaam i will also bet that none of the best restaurants in the world are using powdered spices to flavor their food, respectfully #seasoning #cooking ♬ original sound – Zoe Barrie
She explained that salt is often the primary acid that helps bring out natural flavors in fresh ingredients and that it's acceptable to use fresh onions and garlic instead of their powdered versions to season things. Her cocky presentation of these facts caught the attention of people on Twitter eager to parrot her opinions, and the next phase of the trend's evolution began.
What Did People Think Of The 'Seasoning Police?'
After the video was reposted to Twitter, various commentators began to discuss against and in favor of Barrie's opinions on seasoning. While the general consensus seemed to be that less powdered seasoning and more of a focus on the innate flavors in meat was as fine a way to cook as any, some people seemed to think that Barrie's derision against people she dubbed as "seasoning police" was racially charged.
The initial comment Barrie responded to in her viral video was from an Arab woman, but internet commenters noted that heavy use of the seasonings Barrie cautioned against were often staples in Black American cooking. Some people went as far as to allege that Barrie meant to say Black when she said "seasoning police."
How Did People Start Using The Term 'Seasoning Police?'
Jokes about Barrie being a closet bigot flamed the flames decrying her "affront" to seasoning, with people comparing her to Nazis, Fremen from Dune, and even the racist creator of Dilbert.
Other people were less joking with their use of the term, flipping the punchline away from a dunk on Barrie, and into an overtly racist narrative.
For the full history of the term "seasoning police," be sure to check out our entry on it here for even more information.
