On Sunday morning, Munchies posed a profound, thought-provoking question: "Why is Brooklyn barbecue taking over the world?" The question was accompanied by a very stark photo of said Brooklyn barbecue.
Why is Brooklyn barbecue taking over the world? https://t.co/aiemJpWxZw
The story delves into how renowned Brooklyn-based restaurant Fette Sau has sparked a BBQ movement that veers away from the Southern style, which the writer claims is now "spreading, very quickly and without warning, to every fucking corner of the world."
However, as author Nicholas Gill pointed out on Monday, the article is from 2014 and "Vice keeps republishing it every so often with that photo and a clickybaity headline to draw up controversy."
"I wrote that article five years ago in probably 30 minutes and was just reporting on what I was witnessing—how a Brooklyn barbecue place was influencing other cities," Gill continued. "They also keep using a photo that shouldn't really be used because it's not representative of Fette Sau or Brooklyn barbecue."
Although Gill snapped what is now arguably one of the most controversial photos of all time on his iPhone, the writer and photographer said "he was more commenting on the aesthetic than the food."
"I really wish they didn't use that photo," he chuckled.
Well regardless, people on Twitter saw the photo of this barbecue situation and had a fucking heart attack.
I mean full-on code red.
Southerners sounded the alarm: "Who did this!??"
But why they do this tho? Brooklyn do you but leave the BBQ alone. Lordt families would fued, grandmamas would be in tears, police would be called if you tried to call the Que in NC. And where are the sides? Who did this!?? #bbq #brooklynbbq https://t.co/5pyWeV777Y
"BBQ EMERGENCY: As a native Texan, I almost feel ashamed for looking at this picture..."
BBQ EMERGENCY: As a native Texan, I almost feel ashamed for looking at this picture of this #BrooklynBBQ. They clearly need some help from somebody in Texas, KC, Carolina, and then Texas again... #IJS https://t.co/4FyNsseln4
"Bless y'alls hearts if y'all think this is anything closely resembling BBQ," wrote a user named Dolly who suggested it was actually a photo of "a tray of food served at a prison."
Bless y’alls hearts if y’all think this is anything closely resembling BBQ. 😂🙅🏻♀️How sure are y’all that someone didn’t mix up the images and this isn’t actually a tray of food served at a prison? #BBQ #brooklynbbq #southerncharm https://t.co/Z3FMHCL5WP
Someone else attested to this.
@munchies I got better meals when I was in jail
Another person said his family would "laugh out loud" if this plate of food was put in front of them.
I grew up in barbecue country and if you put a plate of this in front of my family, we’d laugh out loud. #BrooklynBBQ #KCBBQisbest https://t.co/ciyDGZ8QbD
Alarmed Americans quickly starting responding with photos of what "a BBQ plate should look like."
@munchies This is what a BBQ plate should look like.
Plates filled to the brim with pork, brisket, beans, cornbread, and mac and cheese, all covered in BBQ sauce, soon filled the thread.
@munchies This is bbq
@munchies Compared to this in Austin? Nah, not so much.
Texans obviously had a big laugh and also declared the Munchies photo an abomination.
@munchies Dear @munchies, Yeah no. Delete this. Delete the whole tweet, then your whole account, then that whole restaurant. Delete it all. #BlessYourHeart -From All of Texas https://t.co/TzFNCdRoyf
The hullabaloo over the Brooklyn barbecue even united staunch barbecue partisans, who set aside the age-old debate over whether the Kansas City style is better than Texas 'cue. That's how seriously offended everyone was.
@Kchiefer816 @Reez310 @g0ddess0fATL @erik_smiley54 @munchies Kansas City and Texas, we can have our little disputes but we can all agree that whatever was in the Brooklyn pic is horseshit.
The trendy, aesthetically pleasing plate obviously got memed.
Why are Brooklyn nachos taking over the world?
With people turning basic, gross-looking food into haughty, aggrandized dishes.
@chrisopotamia why is Nebraska sushi taking over the world
@munchies #brooklynbbq meet #texassushi
(But, like, what the actual F is this, Cleveland?!?!)
@chrisopotamia Why are Cleveland fish tacos taking over the world?
Bagel bite pizzas are truly a delicacy, IMO.
Next up: How Austin pizza is taking over the world.
Others were inspired by the "sophisticated" and "subtle complexities" of Brooklyn BBQ and created their own masterpieces.
Not all palates are sophisticated enough to appreciate the subtle complexities of Brooklyn BBQ.
Too real.
Your life on Instagram vs. Your actual life #BrooklynBBQ
In the end, Gill said he found the entire reaction "really funny" and while he "likes barbecue, it's not the focus of my work."
And we were reminded that even though we are a large, diverse country that disagrees on many issues, we can still come together as Americans when someone fucks with barbecue.
Dear @munchies : Thank you for uniting @Twitter as a whole in opposition to the monstrosity you describe as #BrooklynBBQ. Sincerely, Everyone Who Has Ever Eaten Real #BBQ