Big Impacts, Small Servings
Posted on April 11, 2016, at 5:35 p.m.
by Rachel Chandler.
There’s something about all things miniature that draws people in. A few YouTubers started a tiny cooking trend that has people’s mouths watering, even if the gourmet meals are a tiny tease.
This cuisine twist is called “kawaii cooking,” (“kawaii” is the Japanese descriptor for “cuteness” in small sizes). The culinary craze really took off when the unknown source(s) behind Miniature Space, a verified YouTube account, began posting videos in December 2014. Nowadays it’s hard to find a video from this account with views that are not well into the millions.
The creators are more than cooks; they are artists. The precision exhibited on this channel leaves viewers wanting more.
A phenomenon like this would usually go unnoticed since the concept seems almost laughable, but once you realize the food is 100 percent real and edible, you’re hooked! The attention to detail makes it extremely appealing — I mean, c’mon, whose hands are THAT steady?
The fact that the YouTubers’ identities are left unknown also pulls in that mystery factor, a tactic commonly used among bloggers to add effect. After gaining attention, though, many reveal their identities to make a name for themselves. Could a big reveal be in the future for our Miniature Space masterminds?
Now trending
Once Miniature Space amassed such a large following, other sources decided to take on the tiny cooking spaces. Tastemade, a popular video network built for the mobile generation, recently began its own series called “Tiny Kitchen.” The videos have accumulated millions of views and hundreds of thousands of shares. Looks like Tastemade has our anonymous Japanese cooking artists to thank for that.
All I know is the only thing my hands are steady enough for are the chopsticks that come with Chinese take-out, so you won’t find me running my own mini cooking show. But hey, if you have an idea and want it to go viral, try going tiny! This latest craze reminds us that big PR trends can come in small servings.
