They say when in Rome, do as the Romans do. But what happens when the Roman comes to you and throws a fit because your food isn’t cooked in the shadow of the Colosseum with a side of Italian approval?
Some folks treat food like religion – strict, sacred, and with absolutely no room for spices. Italian cuisine, in particular, seems to have a very devoted fan club.
One Redditor found themselves face-to-face with a walking, talking Italian food “critic” who traveled all the way from Bellagio to Melbourne just to roast every dish in sight.
More info: Reddit
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One Australian-based netizen hosts husband’s Italian friend, but ends up yelling at her after she insults every dish in sight and eats only restaurant lasagna
The host takes their husband’s Italian friend to the best restaurants, but gets only passive-aggressive comments in return
The Italian woman tries to impose her rules onto the host, and even insults their Asian roots and cooking skills
The host snaps at their guest, calling her cultural superiority out and suggesting she cook her own food if she doesn’t like anything
The OP (original poster), an Australian-based food-lover with Asian roots, is proud of their flavorful cooking and Melbourne’s vibrant food scene. So, when their husband’s old Italian friend flew in for a visit, they rolled out the culinary red carpet: sushi, Thai, Chinese, you name it. But instead of being impressed, the guest responded with a passive-aggressive version of “meh.”
Apparently, nothing, and I mean nothing, was as good as in Italy. The pasta? Not al dente enough. The cheese? Too bland. The wine? Offensive. And heaven forbid someone order a cappuccino after noon! This woman came with her own strict culinary commandments and zero chill.
Still, the OP tried and even invited the picky pal to try a home-cooked meal -their own specialty, packed with spice and love. But instead of gratitude, they got …insults. The guest scrunched her nose at the fish sauce and skipped the meal, demanding the OP’s husband escort her out for real food, meaning more lasagna.
And then, she had the audacity to lecture the OP about how their husband deserves better than “fusion” food and that online recipes are ruining Italian culture. And that’s coming from a lady in her 60s, mind you. At this point, the OP had enough and served up a well-deserved verbal risotto – hot, spicy, and straight to the point.
They told the guest that if she wanted Italy, she should’ve stayed there, and from then on, she could cook for herself. Ciao, bella! The result? Tears, dramatic exits, and a husband pleading for peace. So, is our OP the villain here?
Let’s be real: this wasn’t just a parmesan versus fish sauce debate; this was a full-blown culture clash wrapped in prosciutto and passive-aggression. And our OP is just the unfortunate host of an ethnically-centered lady who thinks Italy is the only country that’s ever made a decent meal. Ethnocentrism at its finest, folks.
Ethnocentrism is the belief that your culture is the default and everyone else is doing it wrong. This mindset often pops up when people travel, or worse, when they bring their cultural snobbery into someone else’s home. It’s often driven by pride, familiarity, nostalgia, and sometimes just plain ignorance.
But in a globalized world, clinging to ethnocentric views can limit experiences, and make you the least fun guest at dinner, especially when it involves someone turning their nose up at your lovingly-prepared noodles. Yes, we’re all looking at you, Bellagio lady.
I get it, Italian food is the Holy Grail of comfort food and it’s even been voted the second best cuisine in the world (go, Greece!). I’m a pasta fan myself, but that doesn’t mean I go around insulting anything that’s not made with spaghetti and sauce, especially as a guest in someone else’s home. That’s just rude and disrespectful.
When someone disrespects your culture, especially in your own home, it’s hard not to let the rice cooker fly. The pros suggest calmly asserting boundaries and calling out rudeness when necessary. And if they continue to push, it’s totally fair to stop accommodating them. After all, respect is a two-way street, even when there’s parmesan involved.
So, what do you think of this story? Are you team “lasagna forever” or team “try anything once?” Drop your spicy comments below!
Netizens side with the host saying they’re not a jerk for snapping at the woman, as she’s being rude and disrespectful
