Chrissy Teigen admits she feels ‘crappy’ after comments by food writer Alison Roman

Food writer Alison Roman accused Teigen of having people ‘run a content farm’ for her

Chrissy Teigen has said she was “bummed out” and felt “crappy” after reading critical comments by food columnist Alison Roman.

The food writer, whose work has appeared in the New York Times and Bon Appetit magazine, made a number of criticisms during an interview with the New Consumer, including that she found Teigen’s success in the food industry “crazy”.

“She had a successful cookbook,” the Dining In author said. “And then it was like: Boom, line at Target. Boom, now she has an Instagram page that has over a million followers where it’s just, like, people running a content farm for her. That horrifies me and it’s not something that I ever want to do. I don’t aspire to that,” Roman said in the interview.

Teigen published her successful cookbook Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat, which she co-wrote with author Adeena Sussman, in 2016. This was followed by the equally successful Cravings: Hungry for More, in 2018.

After Roman’s comments emerged, Teigen posted her reaction via a string of Twitter posts.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so bummed out by the words of a fellow food-lover. I just had no idea I was perceived that way, by her especially,” the 34-year-old wrote.

She explained that she started her Cravings empire because she wanted something for herself, that her husband, musician and actor John Legend, “didn’t buy”.

“I wanted something to do that calmed me, made me happy and made others happy, too,” she said.

Teigen claimed to have been making Roman’s own recipes “for years now”, and to have made a number of positive comments about her work in interviews and on social media.

“I genuinely loved everything about Alison. Was jealous she got to have a book with food on the cover instead of a face!! I’ve made countless NYT recipes she’s created, posting along the way,” she said.

She added: “I didn’t ‘sell out’ by making my dreams come true. To have a cookware line, to get to be a part of that process start to finish, to see something go from sketch to in my hands, I love that.”

“I know the actual tears I put into the work I do and it’s really hard to see someone try to completely invalidate it. Someone I really liked,” she said.

She concluded her post by suggesting she and Roman should unfollow each other on Twitter.

Legend showed support for Teigen by replying: “I love what you are building. I love that it comes straight from your heart and your brilliant, creative mind. I’m so proud of you.”

Roman has since attempted to backtrack on her comments and issued an apology to Teigen on Twitter.

“I sent an email but also wanted to say here that I’m genuinely sorry I caused you pain with what I said,” she wrote.

“I shouldn’t have used you /your business (or Marie’s!) as an example to show what I wanted for my own career- it was flippant, careless and I’m so sorry.”

In a separate tweet that appeared related to Teigen, Roman said that “being a woman who takes down other women is absolutely not [her] thing”.

Teigen has yet to respond to Roman’s apology.