The chef surprised his friend with a typical Zimbabwean meal, and the emotional moment impacted the internet.
We all have a food memory that reminds us of childhood, brings back good memories, and offers an inner comfort that is hard to describe. Perhaps that’s why a moment shared on social media touched so many people.
In a clip posted by chef Wan Maus from Papua New Guinea, he showed the surprise he made for his friend James by preparing a traditional meal from his homeland, Zimbabwe, moving people across the web.
“That’s why I cook,” Maus wrote in the caption of the video posted on Instagram and TikTok; in the footage, we see James sitting at the table, chatting animatedly, when a plate of sadza—a staple food made from maize, essential in Zimbabwean cuisine—is served and then emotion takes over him.
“My God, you’re kidding,” he exclaims with a big smile; “Do you know when I last ate this? I was twelve years old. Crazy,” James says, enchanted by what he sees.
But the sadza was just the beginning. James could hardly believe it when the chef brought more traditional dishes like hifiridzi, a meat stew with spinach; he celebrates, takes photos, but when he sees the last dish, a preparation of okra, his laughter turns to emotion, and with a trembling voice, he expresses what he feels.
“Nostalgia,” he says, melancholic, “Oh, my brother,” turning to hug his friend.
Friendship, care, kindness—all of this in a small clip that hit the hearts of internet users directly. Maus’s final caption reveals in a few words what truly matters: “Food is made to nourish us and bring us together. Cooking is just a means to that, and we are only God’s way to allow that connection.”
The post has already gathered over 3 million views and many compliments; “It’s not just about the food,” one person wrote. “It’s the feeling of being home and having someone care for you like that.”
“You made me see cooking in a totally different way,” said another.
Even the renowned British chef Gordon Ramsay commented on the post: “This is amazing! Well done!”
This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
