When An Italian Tries Maggi For 1st Time (paneer.and.parmigiano/Instagram)
Maggi isn’t just a quick meal—it holds deep sentimental value for many Indians, often seen as the ultimate comfort food. In fact, it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t have a soft spot for it. However, a video that has now gone viral has sparked curiosity on the internet, featuring an Italian man tasting homemade Maggi for the first time. What grabbed everyone’s attention wasn’t the dish itself, but his reaction. Rather than offering a smile or a compliment, he fell silent after the initial bite, clearly trying to comprehend the experience. The clip was shared on Instagram by the couple Surbhi and Dario. In the video, Surbhi serves Dario a plate of homemade Maggi and films his first impression, prompting him to take a bite. Text overlaid on the video reads, “POV – You served Maggi to an Italian man.”
As soon as he tastes it, Dario’s face remains expressionless. He then asks, “What is this?” Surbhi responds, “It’s like spaghetti.”
However, Dario isn’t buying the comparison. He says, “I don’t know how to describe what I have in my mouth. It’s like something smashable and without consistency. Some spicy flavour. It’s not textured, it’s just melting in my mouth. Pasta doesn’t melt. Pasta, you bite, you chew, you feel it, you taste. Here you don’t taste.”
The video wraps up with the line: “Rated: -1/10 for emotional damage.”
The accompanying caption reads, “Not every cultural exchange is a success story, I guess. I made Mr. P try Maggi for the first time, fully expecting him to fall in love with it (because hello, childhood comfort food!!) But nope…it did not pass the Italian taste control check.”
Since it was uploaded, the video has racked up more than six million views. In the comments, desis rallied to defend Maggi, calling it a beloved staple.
One user wrote, “Ha ha ha. No one outside India can understand this emotion called Maggie,” while another echoed, “Maggie is an emotion.”
Someone quipped, “Don’t try this in India publicly.”
Another comment read, “He just offended every single Indian.”
A viewer noted, “No, you made a terrible mistake, you’re not supposed to offer Maggie to an Italian. They are very specific about cooking, especially Italian foods. Don’t even compare Italian food with other food items.”
Another questioned, “Why on earth is he comparing instant noodles with pasta or spaghetti???”