Brooklyn Beckham’s latest venture into the culinary world has sparked a flurry of online criticism but many fans are rushing to his defence.
The 26-year-old shared a new promotional video on Instagram for his Cloud 23 hot sauce collaboration with renowned Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux Jr for London’s Langham Hotel.
In the short clip, Brooklyn is seen ordering room service, opting for a classic British dish of gammon, egg and chips and cheekily asking the kitchen to “make it spicy,” in reference to his signature hot sauce.
The condiment is named after the age he was when he launched the brand and the date he proposed to wife Nicola Peltz, Cloud 23 is part of his growing profile as a so-called “culinary tastemaker.”
The video follows as he heads down to meet Roux Jr in the kitchen, where the pair rework the dish using the hot sauce. The pub classic, Gammon, Cloud23 hot sauce, crispy potato, Burford brown egg, is now available at The Wigmore for £23.
“Do you think my cooking needs hot sauce?” the chef quips before sampling the creation, later declaring, “That’s going to be flying out of the kitchen.”
Beckham captioned the post: “Check into @langhamhotels for my latest creation. Experience this new hot take for yourself at The Wigmore in @langham_london and The Tap Room in @langhampasadena.”
But despite the upbeat tone of the campaign, the post was quickly flooded with negative comments, including digs at Beckham’s perceived culinary credentials and renewed speculation about tensions with his famous family.
“Second-hand embarrassment,” one troll wrote, while another cruelly added: “Suddenly lost all respect for Michel Roux Jr.”
Others referenced reports of a rift between Brooklyn and his parents, Victoria and David Beckham. “You need to go down and speak to your family, not the chef,” one comment read. Another added: “Why don’t you follow your brothers on Instagram anymore?”
However, many of his followers hit back at the criticism, praising Beckham for carving out his own path.
“Good on him. He needs to be his own person - this is most likely what’s going on in their family. Let them all be,” one user wrote. Another added: “Keep doing what you love Brooklyn, it's shining through how much you love cooking.”
A third remarked: “I don't know why people have problems with him because he is minding his business and living his life.”
“Why so many haters, ffs nasty,” a fan questioned.
The backlash comes amid ongoing speculation about the Beckham family dynamic.
Last week it was reported that he and his wife Nicola were no longer following his younger brothers Romeo and Cruz on Instagram.
Brooklyn wished his younger sister Harper a happy 14th birthday on social media last Thursday, marking his first public interaction with his immediate family in months.
However, just hours later, it emerged that the budding chef, 26, and his actress partner, 30, are no longer Instagram friends with Romeo, 22, and Cruz, 20.
Romeo and Cruz are also no longer following Brooklyn, although Cruz is still following Nicola.
A source close to Brooklyn claimed it was Romeo and Cruz who made the first step, telling The Standard they “believe he was likely blocked”.
Brooklyn is still following his parents, football legend David, 50, and former Spice Girl Victoria, 51, on the social media platform.
The couple, who live in Los Angeles, have sparked rift rumours by missing several major family events in recent months.
They skipped Victoria’s 51st birthday in Miami in April and David’s four extravagant 50th birthday celebrations a month later.
Brooklyn intensified the gossip by saying he will “always choose” Nicola in a “pointed message” to his partner in June.
