A private chef has ignited a firestorm online after telling viewers they’ve been making rice all wrong – and revealing what she insists is the only way to get it right.
Chef Mila Furman, known on TikTok as @girlandthekitchen, shared a video claiming people should cook rice just like pasta, then finish it with a generous dollop of butter.
“I’m a private chef and I know you’re making your rice wrong,” she began confidently in her clip, which has clocked up almost seven million views.
In her method, she advised filling a pot with plenty of water – without measuring – bringing it to a boil, adding salt, and then pouring in the rice. White rice should go for about 10 minutes, basmati for 11 to 12, and brown rice for 18, though she joked that brown rice is “gross and you don’t need to eat” it at all.
After cooking, Chef Mila strains the rice like pasta, gives it a rinse under cold running water, then adds a knob of butter. “You’ll have perfect rice, and it’s so easy to make it,” she declared.
Her straightforward confidence didn’t go down well with everyone. In the comment section, one viewer wrote: “Someone is cooking rice wrong and is not us,” while another insisted, “I’m a Latina, and I KNOW I’m making my rice right.”
Another commenter weighed in bluntly: “NO ONE knows how to cook rice more than Asians, we are not approving this, even the WHITES wouldn’t.”
Similarly, another posted, “As an African, I know our Asian counterparts will definitely disagree with this!!!” Similarly, others commented: “Girl, I’m Caribbean and I’m telling you that you messed up the rice,” and “I’m Jamaican and you upsetting ma spirit.”
Another user chimed in with, “That’s why she’s a private chef – the public doesn’t like her cooking.” Yet curiosity clearly remained, and one viewer confessed, “Okay, I hate to say this but I want to see if it works.”
And finally, among the backlash, some viewers tried to offer alternatives in the spirit of sharing good cooking tips. One wrote, “Just hear me out… wash it, put the correct amount of water in. Then you don’t have to strain it or wash it after. This is as bad as boiling bags.”
Another shared their personal favourite method: “I sauté my rice in garlic and olive oil for 2 min on high then add water and cook on low. Comes out perfect and flavorful. Jasmine rice.”
