The Basque chef Karlos Arguiñano unleashed a storm of laughter among his Latin fans by posting on Instagram a reel where he peels cassava with a potato peeler.
"In the kitchen, I like to use ingredients from all over, and cassava is a perfect food to accompany our dishes," wrote Arguiñano in the video's description, which has garnered over four million views and 18,480 comments in just a few days.
The chef chose a good cassava, like a harvest from Casimiro's yard, but he used a tool that surprised many Latin Americans: a potato peeler. The detail that ignited social media may seem minor; however, for many, it was almost a culinary heresy.
The traditional method of peeling yucca involves making a longitudinal cut on the surface of the thick skin and sliding the knife underneath to remove it in complete strips, without wasting any pulp or leaving remnants of the woody layer that prevent even cooking.
The potato peeler is not the usual method for peeling cassava in many Latin American countries, although, as Arguiñano demonstrated, "every master has his own book," and it can be used in a pinch.
The comments on the chef's post are filled with humor. "3,000 hectares of cassava just dried up," wrote one user. Another noted, "Today, seven Colombian grandmothers died watching this video." A third added, "10 machetes rusted after seeing this."
Cultural comparisons also emerged with wit. "So this is how the Spaniards feel when we slice the ham poorly," reflected a user.
Another added, "If an Italian dies watching water being poured into an espresso, we Latinos are worse off with this video."
A fan of the chef, with equal parts tenderness and desperation, said: "Pretty daddy, peach heart, sweetness of my soul, apple of my eye, sugar loaf: How do you do that to the cassava, daddy? I'm leaving this reel half-fainted."
The critiques, always delivered with humor, were accompanied by genuine respect for the chef. "It's going to drive me crazy how you peel yucca, but we still love you, Karlos; you are a genius in the kitchen," summed up the overarching sentiment.
Several users attempted to explain the difference by noting that the cassava sold in Europe may undergo coating treatments to extend its shelf life during transportation. This does not necessarily mean that its skin has to be removed with a peeler.
The reaction of the fans defending the chef was also massive: "Arguiñano has been cooking live on television for many years without cutting a finger. If he decides to peel yucca with a peeler, a knife, or his teeth, he has earned the right to peel it however he likes. Less judging and more learning from experience."
For Cubans, yuca is not just any ingredient; it is part of the soul of the national cuisine. From it, casabe is made, along with the classic yuca with mojo, fried yuca, and many more recipes.
It is also a reference in Cuban popular music, where its elongated and thick shape has inspired humorous songs such as El guayo de Catalina by the legendary Arsenio Rodríguez, or Yuca de Casimiro, the unforgettable son montuno by Guayabero.
It’s not the first time that Arguiñano has used ingredients or recipes typical of Cuban and Latin American cuisine. In 2023, he prepared a picadillo a la habanera on his show, which also sparked much debate.
Karlos Arguiñano has 38 years of cooking on camera and is 78 years old. He is a great chef and an excellent communicator, capable of sparking conversations about tubers and reigniting the desire to try good cassava again, but of course, peeling it properly.
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