Chrissy Teigen Speaks About Alison Roman Feud

Photo: John Sciulli/Getty Images.

On Friday night, a feud no one saw coming started blowing up on Twitter with the news that Alison Roman dragged Chrissy Teigen in an interview. As Teigen wrote, it’s “a huge bummer.”

Roman, of Bon Appétit and New York Times column fame, said she was “horrified” by Teigen and her business model. Characterizing it as “crazy to me,” Roman said, “She had a successful cookbook. And then it was like: boom, line at Target. Boom, now she has an Instagram page that has over a million followers where it’s just, like, people running a content farm for her.

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“That horrifies me and it’s not something that I ever want to do. I don’t aspire to that. But like, who’s laughing now? Because she’s making a ton of fucking money,” Roman told The New Consumer.

Roman mentioned in the interview that she has a product line coming out as well. “I have a collaboration coming out with [the cookware startup] Material, a capsule collection,” she explained. Roman didn’t address why launching a collection isn’t selling out in her case.

Not surprisingly, Teigen felt “hurt and bummed out” by hearing this, she explained in a series of tweets.

this is a huge bummer and hit me hard. I have made her recipes for years now, bought the cookbooks, supported her on social and praised her in interviews. I even signed on to executive produce the very show she talks about doing in this article. https://t.co/9xrvQBInAp
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) May 8, 2020

Teigen shared that she started her Cravings line because it had been a longtime dream of hers, writing, “Cravings isn't a 'machine' or 'farmed content' - it's me and 2 other women.” She continued, objecting to the idea that she sold out, saying the line is something she loves doing.

I started cravings because I wanted something for myself. I wanted something John didn't buy, I wanted something to do that calmed me, made me happy and made others happy, too. Cravings isn't a "machine" or "farmed content" - it's me and 2 other women.
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) May 8, 2020

I didn't "sell out" by making my dreams come true. To have a cookware line, to get to be a part of that process start to finish, to see something go from sketch to in my hands, I love that.
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) May 8, 2020

Teigen added that she had been a fan of Roman’s, having cooked her recipes and shouted her out on her Insta many times.

I genuinely loved everything about Alison. Was jealous she got to have a book with food on the cover instead of a face!! I've made countless NYT recipes she's created, posting along the way.
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) May 8, 2020

Roman also called out organizing expert Marie Kondo’s business. “Like the idea that when Marie Kondo decided to capitalize on her fame and make stuff that you can buy, that is completely antithetical to everything she’s ever taught you...I’m like, damn, bitch, you fucking just sold out immediately!” she said.

Teigen defended Kondo in her series of tweets.

I don't think I've ever been so bummed out by the words of a fellow food-lover. I just had no idea I was perceived that way, by her especially. And Marie, too. Marie is awesome.
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) May 8, 2020

By portraying herself as authentic, and calling two women of Asian descent sell-outs and implying that Teigen doesn’t do her own work, Roman opens a problematic Pandora's box. As one person on Twitter pointed out, Roman called Kondo a bitch, but not Gwyneth Paltrow, who is arguably a peer of Kondo and Teigen.

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I wonder why Alison Roman thought she could call Marie Kondo a bitch, but not Gwyneth Paltrow?
— Lizzzzzzzz (@LizzyLaurie) May 8, 2020

Roman first addressed the controversy by claiming she was being bullied.

when women bully other women for being honest about money and how much they do or do not make, well, thats amore
— alison roman (@alisoneroman) May 8, 2020

She finally shared an apology on Twitter late Friday night, writing that she emailed Teigen directly to apologize as well. “Being a woman who takes down other women is absolutely not my thing and don’t think it’s yours, either (I obviously failed to effectively communicate that),” she said. “I hope we can meet one day, I think we’d probably get along.”

Hi @chrissyteigen! I sent an email but also wanted to say here that I’m genuinely sorry I caused you pain with what I said. I shouldn’t have used you /your business (or Marie’s!) as an example to show what I wanted for my own career- it was flippant, careless and I’m so sorry
— alison roman (@alisoneroman) May 9, 2020