KEY POINTS

  • Chef Aaron May served paella with snail to the D'Amelio family in their latest YouTube video
  • Dixie D’Amelio appeared to vomit at the table after trying the snail
  • She later clarified that it was "all jokes" and that the chef knew she "would have a reaction"

TikTok star Dixie D'Amelio is responding to backlash sparked by her seemingly rude behavior toward their personal chef during a family dinner.

In their new YouTube series “Dinner with the D’Amelios,” chef Aaron May whipped up a multicourse meal, including a fresh salad and seafood paella dish, for Dixie, her sister Charli and their parents, Marc and Heidi D'Amelio. Charli was caught making faces when the chef revealed the menu.

Dixie, meanwhile, made gagging noises when she found that her paella had some snails. She then appeared to vomit at the table after trying the snail, which is found in traditionally-prepared paella.

“It’s actually an omen of good luck and fortune,” May explained, attempting to calm her down.

“I just touched its liver,” said Dixie, looking disgusted.

Netizens bombarded Dixie with criticism for her behavior, with several calling her rude and entitled.

“Throwing up someone’s food right in front of them that’s just terrible,” one YouTuber commented. “Money really can’t buy RESPECT. And people can’t be decent human beings,” another wrote.

“Throwing up and calling the chef's food 'disgusting' is the most disrespectful thing you can do to a chef. You can complain about the food, everyone has their own preferences but acting like that? Nah,” a third netizen commented.

Her sister wasn’t spared from the criticism, with some accusing Charli of disrespecting the chef as well.

“Charli’s that one girl at school who complains about everything, has a b----y attitude, and ruins everybody’s mood,” one commented.

“I can’t wait to the excuse Charli is going to say for treating her fans as numbers,” the person added, referring to Charli expressing disappointment over not scoring 99 million followers within a year of reaching 1 million.

Dixie has since responded to the backlash in an Instagram comment and clarified that it was all just for fun.

“Chef Aaron May is a close family friend and we love him and everything he does,” she wrote.

“He was standing behind the camera telling me to eat a snail, knowing I would have a reaction. In no way would I ever want to come off as disrespectful, because it was all jokes,” Dixie added. “I have a sarcastic sense of humor that I have shown over my time of putting myself on the internet, but I have all love for every single person I work with and would never disrespect anyone.”

May has yet to publicly address the controversy.

Dixie D'Amelio With sister Charli D'Amelio
Dixie D'Amelio With sister Charli D'Amelio dixiedamelio/Instagram