TikTok chef IndiaAlphaNovember comes clean in his dirty kitchen

Combining $70 cuts of beef with an exceptionally dirty kitchen has garnered Ian Bartholomew, aka IndiaAlphaNovember, thousands of TikTok followers, making him one Toowoomba’s top social media stars.

Ian Bartholomew's TikTok cooking videos are popular. Pictured with his dog Zeta. Tuesday, October 25, 2022. Picture: Nev Madsen.

The world of foodie television has been flooded with immaculate kitchens, expert lighting and untold camera tricks all geared to make the meals look as delicious as possible.

But among the wannabe-Jamie Olivers and Gordon Ramsays stands Toowoomba cook Ian Bartholomew, who has made a name for himself for his unique spin on the genre.

For the past year the 56-year-old has produced TikTok videos under the account name @indiaalphanovember where he prepares culinary delights in a kitchen filled with grime and clutter.

From dirty pans, to dog hair and ciggie butts, Mr Bartholomew’s kitchen would be, to some, a horror show.

But he cooks amazing food with top-shelf ingredients, including wagyu steak, imported Italian cheese and fresh veggies.

@indiaalphanovember

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“I think there is something about the juxtaposition of cooking good food surrounded by filth,” he said.

“I do manage to plate up something pretty good among the mess.”

The short, sharp videos are cut with shots of Mr Bartholomew cracking cans and closing with his catchphrase “that is f---ing delicious.”

Mr Bartholomew has pumped out hundreds of videos and garnered almost 100,000 followers which makes him Toowoomba second biggest social media celebrity, below trick footballer Jed Hockin and above erotic entertainer Cherry Hart.

Ian Bartholomew's TikTok cooking videos are popular, pictured with his dog Zeta. Picture: Nev Madsen.

The former electrician turned English teacher has no formal cooking training but learnt everything from watching other celebrity chefs.

The first video was a simple dish of Coco Pops with milk and cream followed by a salmon fillet with roast potatoes, cooked among the squaller.

This second video amassed 6.2 million views and Ian knew instantly that he was onto a winner.

@indiaalphanovember

#bake#beans#on#toast#sourdough#foodtiktok#dog#dirtbike#kitchen#cook#chef

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“I wiped a bit of the mess away from the side of the dish and that just killed them,” Mr Bartholomew said.

The Tiktok channel has global reach, with about a third of Ian’s viewers living in the US and UK.

The mess is so bad that he has been accused of faking it.

But when pressed on its authenticity Mr Bartholomew said the truth was muddy.

“I think initially it was a mental health thing, but the TikTok channel has stopped me from cleaning,” he said.

“It is staged but it has taken me three months to stage.”

@indiaalphanovember

#food#cooking#fish#roast#potato#dog#training#rocket#wine

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While 100,000 TikTok followers sounds like a lot, it is nowhere near enough to make a living off.

Mr Bartholomew is in the process of building up his YouTube and Patreon following as it has been a while since he had a paying job.

He said the fame had helped with his mental health.

“I don’t really care if people laugh with me or at me,” Ian said.

“It’s not often that I don’t leave the house and someone doesn’t yell “f---ing delicious” at me or I have youngsters ask me for a selfie.

“It is really quite nice.”