Uncle Roger is the creation of Malaysian comedian Nigel Ng: an orange polo shirt, a sharp tongue, and strong opinions about how Asian food should be cooked. His reviews of cooking videos are funny, but they also teach you how the dishes are actually made. These ten critiques made the character a global sensation.
His Critiques
1. Uncle Roger’s Take on BBC Food’s Egg Fried Rice
It all started with a BBC Food tutorial on egg fried rice. Draining cooked rice in a colander and rinsing it under the tap earned the now famous "You killing me, woman!", the line became a meme, and the video pulled in millions of views.
2. Uncle Roger’s Take on Jamie Oliver’s Egg Fried Rice
Jamie Oliver’s version, made with chili jam and no wok, got labeled "rice murder". Fans loved the stand for authenticity, and the critique became one of his most iconic.
3. Uncle Roger’s Take on Gordon Ramsay’s Fried Rice
Gordon Ramsay got praise instead: proper wok, high heat, respect for the traditional technique. Uncle Roger approved and named him "Uncle Gordon".
4. Uncle Roger’s Take on Jamie Oliver’s Pad Thai
Jamie Oliver again, this time for Pad Thai. The complaints: missing authentic ingredients, plus additions like lime leaves that do not belong in the dish.
5. Uncle Roger’s Take on Hersha Patel’s Egg Fried Rice (Collaboration)
After the BBC video, Uncle Roger teamed up with its presenter, Hersha Patel, and they recreated egg fried rice together the traditional way. Humor, plus an actual cooking lesson.
6. Uncle Roger’s Take on BBC Good Food’s Pho
A BBC Good Food pho got called out for shortcuts and missing elements. His point: pho’s rich flavor comes from patience and proper ingredients, not a quick fix.
7. Uncle Roger’s Take on Mapo Tofu by Jamie Oliver
The feud with Jamie Oliver continued over Mapo Tofu. The dish strayed from the Sichuan original: no Sichuan peppercorns and non-traditional meat.
8. Uncle Roger’s Take on Nigella Lawson’s Mee Goreng
Nigella Lawson’s Mee Goreng was missing the authentic elements of the Indonesian noodle dish, and her ingredient choices got the usual playful questioning.
9. Uncle Roger’s Take on Rachel Ray’s Pho
Rachel Ray’s 15-minute pho raised the obvious question: can you make real pho in 15 minutes? His answer was no, and he pointed out the missing traditional spices and techniques that give the dish its depth.
10. Uncle Roger’s Take on Instant Noodles Gourmetization
Instant noodles come up often in his videos. His position is consistent: stop trying to gourmetize them. They are a staple in many Asian households and should be enjoyed as intended.
The critiques work because they mix jokes with a real point: traditional dishes deserve to be cooked the way they were meant to be.