National

Private chef stuns TikTok with $3,500 grocery bill for 36 items. ‘Grossly out of touch’

“Seeing this makes me want to cry,” one viewer said about the California chef’s video.
“Seeing this makes me want to cry,” one viewer said about the California chef’s video. Screengrab from @itschefbae's TikTok video

You scan the last item in the cart at your local grocery store and the total pops up - $3,515. That’s the reality for celebrity chef and TikTok star Brooke Baevsky.

Baevsky cooks for celebrity clients in Beverly Hills and shares her luxurious work on TikTok, garnering millions of views. One of her recent videos, showing her visit to the upscale grocery chain Erewhon where she lists 36 items purchased, has some viewers in shambles.

“I don’t even make that much money in a month and this is their casual pantry restock?” one person asked.

Baevsky filmed the shopping run and titled it, “How much does it cost to restock a pantry at Erewhon?” In her caption, she even describes the multi-thousand-dollar grocery haul as a “bargain,” and joked she should apply to “Extreme Couponing,” a TV show highlighting Americans who go to great lengths to save money.

@itschefbae BUT this included the last-minute granola & sea moss gel adds, so it’s a #bargain (this is also my application to #extremecouponer) . . . #privatechef #laprivatechef #privatechefla #cheflife #chefs #chef #chefsofinstagram #wholefoodchef #chefplating #funny #oops #funnyvideo #instachef #chefbae #funny #funnyvideos #funnychef #chef #cheflife #funnyvideos #funnyvideo #chefsofinstagram #chefsofinsta #chefsreact #chefreactions #mealprep #privatechefla #cheflife #chef #chefs #lacheefs #laprivatechefs #heslthyfood #funny #celebritychef #celebrityprivatechef #chefs #lacheefs #laprivatechefs #heslthyfood #celebritychef #celebrityprivatechef ♬ original sound - Chef Bae

Though the video was lighthearted and Baevsky is doing her job, the video rubbed some viewers the wrong way.

“Even their chefs are grossly out of touch with what’s going on in the world,” one person commented.

“I know it’s not about me but the fact that I’m pregnant and struggling literally seeing this makes me want to cry,” another said.

Baevsky shared a list of what she bought in Erewhon that racked up the bill:

  • Romanesco broccoli
  • Sea moss gel (both Spirulina & berry flavors)
  • Granolas
  • Organic juices
  • Dragon fruit
  • Onions
  • Rainbow carrots
  • Bone broth
  • Cacao nibs
  • Coconut oil spray
  • Tahini
  • Canned beverages
  • Plant-based milks
  • Hearts of palm pasta
  • Shirataki noodles
  • Grain-free paleo bread
  • Berries
  • Oat milk pudding
  • “Tons of herbs”
  • Coconut yogurt
  • Dairy-free cheeses
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Purple artichokes
  • Cashews
  • Lacuma powder
  • Tomato paste
  • Jackfruit
  • Avocados
  • Sprouted almonds
  • Macadamia nut butter
  • Micro greens
  • Sunflower shoots
  • Protein powder
  • Zero-calorie rice
  • Vegan paleo donuts

“That’s it? for over 3 grand I was expecting a refrigerated truck,” one commenter joked. While some people pointed out that Baevsky likely bought multiple of the same items, many weren’t convinced it should add up to over $3,500.

Erewhon was founded in 1966 and has since opened 8 locations, serving as a holistic food hub in the heart of Beverly Hills.

@itschefbae My @Erewhon Market cart is now famous and comes with a camera crew, paparazzi & it’s own @GoPro . . . #privatechef #laprivatechef #privatechefla #cheflife #chefs #chef #chefsofinstagram #wholefoodchef #chefplating #funny #oops #funnyvideo #instachef #chefbae #funny #funnyvideos #funnychef #chef #cheflife #funnyvideos #funnyvideo #chefsofinstagram #chefsofinsta #chefsreact #chefreactions #mealprep #privatechefla #cheflife #chef #chefs #lacheefs #laprivatechefs #heslthyfood #funny #celebritychef #celebrityprivatechef #chefs #lacheefs #laprivatechefs #heslthyfood #celebritychef #celebrityprivatechef ♬ Made You Look - Meghan Trainor
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This story was originally published November 22, 2022 at 2:02 PM with the headline "Private chef stuns TikTok with $3,500 grocery bill for 36 items. ‘Grossly out of touch’."

Alison Cutler
mcclatchy-newsroom
Alison Cutler is a National Real Time Reporter for the Southeast at McClatchy. She graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University and previously worked for The News Leader in Staunton, VA, a branch of USAToday.
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