Food influencer faces backlash for sharing Jewish cuisine as hostility towards Israel continues

Chris Caresnone, 41, an American influencer passionate about food and cooking, stumbled into the Middle East conflict by accident. 

Having begun by exploring national dishes and food preferences from around the world, he suddenly went viral after coming across the traditional Israeli desert “rugelach.” He mispronounced the word in his video, calling it “roogelash,” and found huge numbers of delighted Jewish people correcting him and welcoming his appreciation of the traditionally Jewish pastry.

He then was persuaded to try a sweet Jewish bread known as Babka by Half Moon Rondout Café in Kingston, New York. “​​Babka is one of the best bites on Earth,” Caresnone announced, according to Unpacked Media, and instantly became known as the “Babka King” by his growing audience, now reaching over 275,000 followers on Instagram and half a million on TikTok.

But Caresone’s openness to Jewish cooking has not been universally appreciated. 

“I see the most stuff, the most negative comments on my Jewish content,” noticed Caresnone. “I see the most hate on the Jewish content. That is the real world. That's not what I'm being told. That's what I see in my comments – it's obvious.” He said in a video on Instagram.

“It's different when you see it from an outsider's perspective. It's crazy. There's only 14 million Jewish people on Earth, y'all,” he added. “I can see why they're always in fear… It's crazy.”

In the text accompanying his video, Caresnone explained, “I’ve made content showing love to so many cultures – Mexican, Polish, Filipino, Palestinian, Black, White, Honduran, Jewish, etc.... and the only time I consistently get real hate is when I show love to Jewish people. That ain’t some political stance. That’s just me telling the truth. I have received death threats only when I showed love to the Jewish culture. Over food, mind you.”

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A post shared by Chris CARESNONE The Babka King 👑 (@chriscaresnone)

According to The Times of Israel, Caresnone was originally born with the name Chris Campbell, but adopted the surname Caresnone, reflecting his refusal to bend to the negative comments he receives.

He continues to enthuse about Jewish cooking and has made many new discoveries.

“How delicious Sephardic food is was a surprise,” he told Unpacked Media, expressing his appreciation for “the whole falafel, shawarma, tahini vibe.”

When coming across a previously unknown tasty dish from other cultures, he scolds the community responsible for “Gatekeeping” their secret, with his trademark friendly banter.

“I like to take things people think are bad and highlight them as positives,” he said. “It’s a matter of my energy. So, people who watch my videos know there’s no ill intent. But you know how social media works. I gotta hook you and get your attention. So, the formula is simple.”

While he has become a well-loved commentator on global cuisine, Caresnone is not professionally trained in culinary arts and has instead chosen to become a motivational speaker. After overcoming obesity and social anxiety and suffering from Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Caresnone has learned a thing or two about choosing to focus on the positive.

He is not only well-known on the internet, but when visiting Israel, he was recognized wherever he went.

“The whole place is a vibe,” he said. “It feels Americanesque to some degree. For someone who doesn’t speak Hebrew, I was able to get around on my own speaking English.” 

Caresnone, coming from Chicago, Illinois, has been warmly embraced by the Jewish community in the U.S. and also by many in Israel, grateful for his enthusiasm towards Jewish culture at a time when antisemitic hostility is so prevalent.

“A lot of people know me out there, so it was cool to be recognized every 10 minutes,” he said regarding his trip to Israel. “Other than it being 109 degrees, it was a great experience.”