The subreddit is named after a portmanteau of “kitchen” and “inc*ls” (the infamous subculture of “involuntary celibate” men that define themselves by their perceived inability to form romantic relationships). Technically, the sub diverges from this definition at times. All genders can participate in the misery, and many lament the failure of past connections.
Nonetheless, the nihilism and bitterness towards a supposed societal standard that inc*ls fail to live up to are in full force in this content. Typical examples of posts brood over the flaws of the chef behind them and the effect that has on their life. The food acts as a punctuation mark to emphasize the level of failure.
“Asked out my crush. She said no. My life is a nightmare,” complains one of the milder, typical posts on the sub, accompanied by a photograph of two slices of bread and a few pieces of an unidentified fried food on a paper plate. “Failed my f**king drivers test today I’m 26 years old I can’t hold a job I can’t get l*id I can’t even drive. I don’t deserve flavors,” announces another with several sliced boiled eggs that, in a performative gesture, have had the yolks removed.
The existence of r/kitchencels is indebted to its forebears. The first of these is r/sh*ttyfoodp*rn, which showcases dubious culinary creations in the name of entertainment. Unlike the inc*l-inspired sub, the focus is purely on the entertainment value of the repulsive meals, and not any accompanying emotional anguish. Plus, among the sea of sad snacks, r/kitchencels will occasionally serve up a tasty meal to underline the defeat of the chef behind it. One such example uses an attractive homemade carbonara to illustrate a story about the poster’s ex-girlfriend telling him it was one of her favorite meals, then coming out as a lesbian not long afterwards. “I still think about it: was it too much salt?”
The other, more direct predecessor is r/d*pressionmeals, where those suffering from d*pression congregate to share the weird, low-effort, and unappetizing meals they have made while struggling with their mental health. Like r/kitchencels, posts contain candid revelations about the misfortune of the people behind them.
However, in contrast to the newer sub descriptions are more to the point and are more likely to describe sad events in the poster’s life, as opposed to having a greater focus on their shortcomings (e.g. “Having McDonald’s alone for my birthday”). It is engineered towards the encouragement of sympathy and moral support, rather than the provocation of disgust. One of the most popular r/kitchencels posts criticizes those who use it to lament their exes, riffing on Donald Tr*mp’s cameo in Home Alone 2 to declare that “r/d*pressionmeals is down the hall and to the right.”
While these differences are subtle at first glance, on further consideration it becomes obvious that r/kitchencels puts a much larger degree of effort into playing to their audience than the other two subreddits ever have. The way that it looks at food and the stories that accompany it is akin to some type of meme rather than a simple depiction of a meal and the person who is consuming it. No matter who is posting and what they have to say about themselves and their food, there is one key inc*l principle that unites the majority of r/kitchencels: Self-loathing. The strength of this feeling comes across as so theatrical that treating this content as a sh*tpost seems just as appropriate to a chronically online viewer as reacting with concern. Posts from the sub are popular on other platforms like Twitter and Instagram for this reason.
Associated with a strong prejudice against women and other marginalized groups, inc*ldom has developed a deserved negative reputation since its rise in the public consciousness over the past decade. That being said, being a loser is an evergreen source of inspiration in meme culture. Inc*l or not, dinner with a side of extreme vulnerability makes perfect sense. It is a form of public accountability for the poster and a twisted, or even relatable form of amusement for the audience.
Emotions and food have always had a close connection, so it makes sense that internet culture has exploited this for entertainment purposes as well as cathartic ones. While the plight of the inc*l might not be something that everybody is willing to extend sympathy to, the low self-worth it is associated with is a relatable spectacle. Combine this with evoking the taste buds, and the end product is surprisingly palatable if only in the entertainment sense. The posters of r/kitchencels realize that when it comes to attracting attention on the internet, we eat with our eyes in more ways than one.
