His kitchen rules: How an Aussie YouTuber got Dave Grohl’s attention
His non-nonsense approach in the kitchen has made this young Aussie an internet sensation. He’s already clocked up 38 million views, and Foo Fighters superstar Dave Grohl is among his fans.
Confidential
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HE’S the Aussie YouTube sensation whose expletive-leaden cooking tutorials have clocked up 38 million Facebook views and put Foo Fighters and Nirvana superstar Dave Grohl in his fan club.
Comedian Nat’s What I Reckon has turned lockdown into a platform for cooking lessons that rail against panic buyers who opted for jar sauce or packet soup over simple, make-at-home dishes that use fresh ingredients.
His blunt Ocker delivery, finely drizzled with swearing, caught Grohl’s attention, with the rocker posting supportive messages from his verified Instagram account.
“It’s lovely when people in the public eye like your stuff,” Nat told Confidential.
“It’s exciting that Dave Grohl messages me, being I’m a huge Nirvana fan. I had a little to and fro with him for a week. But I don’t hold stardom as having more value of appreciation than anyone else.”
Nat’s recipe for success is a classic iso-induced pivot. The son of a former chef, he came up with the cooking videos after COVID-19 restrictions shut down his comedy tour.
“I love cooking, so I thought: ‘Why don’t I get stuck into that?’ I decided to stick it to … all the disgusting food people were panic buying. I noticed they were buying all these gross things while the fresh food section was untouched.”
His cooking lessons are a nod to showman chefs, Italian Gennaro Contaldo, and Australian Peter Russell-Clarke.
“Genarro is explosive and loves yelling at the camera, and so do I. Peter Russell-Clarke was really funny and over-the-top,” Nat says.
Nat and his girlfriend make each episode at home over two or three days. She films, he edits.
“I’m always cooking for my housemates and friends,” he says. “I’m not trying to be a cooking channel. I want it to be a bit rock and roll, in and out of there.”
He has received complaints about the language — mainly from parents or teachers who want to share his lessons.
“Some are like, ‘I’d love to show this to my cooking class, or kids at school, but I can’t because I’ll lose my job,” Nat says, laughing.
“I think my mum would like it if there’s no swearing in it. It’s just the way I communicate and connect. I’m generally sweary, but it’s not meant with an aggression at all.
“But my mum still watches. I think she’s proud of me.”