Tasting Hybridity: Uncle Roger and Big Zuu's Humorous Visions of Global Food

This paper’s analysis of food will raise questions about multiculturalism, stereotypes, and cultural reappropriation. The initial focus will be on Uncle Roger, a character created by Malaysia-born comedian Nigel Ng. Uncle Roger became a viral success in 2020 thanks to videos where he mocks non-Asian chefs and presenters’ attempts to make Asian dishes such as egg fried rice.

The paper will then analyse the television programme Big Zuu’s Big Eats which sees British rapper Big Zuu prepare a brand of hybrid fast food for celebrities, many of whom are comedians. This show was launched by British television channel Dave, which is known for its comedy output, and won several prizes at the 2022 British Academy of Film and Television Awards (BAFTAs). When accepting the first award, Big Zuu emphasised the importance of on-screen diversity by referring to his status as the son of an immigrant from Sierra Leone and also the middle eastern roots of his collaborators Hayder and Tubsey.

A key element of this paper will involve comparing the ways in which Uncle Roger and Big Zuu provide contrasting humorous takes on culinary hybridity. Whilst Uncle Roger mocks Western attempts to appropriate Asian dishes, Big Zuu celebrates fusion cuisine via his light-hearted television programme. To conclude, this paper will assess whether Uncle Roger and Big Zuu’s focus on food risks perpetuating immigrant stereotypes by discussing the notion of conviviality evoked by Paul Gilroy in After Empire and John Hutnyk’s discussion of food and diaspora in Critique of Exotica.