Brilio.net - The action of content creator Willie Salim in Palembang suddenly became the focus of netizens. He was said to have deliberately created a scenario so that the content of sharing 200 kilograms of rendang looked dramatic.
The incident occurred when Willie Salim held a big cooking event at Benteng Kuto Besak (BKB), Palembang, on Tuesday (18/3/). He cooked rendang from a cow and intended to share it for free to the local community.
However, the atmosphere changed when Willie Salim claimed that the 200 kilograms of rendang disappeared in a short time. The story then reaped various reactions from the public to government officials.
Willie Salim finally spoke up about the incident of the disappearance of the rendang he cooked in Palembang. He uploaded a video of clarification and an apology to the people of Palembang.
In his statement, Willie admitted to receiving many negative comments directed at Palembang residents. He felt the need to straighten out the situation so as not to further aggravate the situation.
Willie Salim apologizes for 200 kg rendang content
Instagram/@willie27_
Willie stressed that the disappearance of rendang was not the fault of the local community. He also rejected the notion that the incident was a form of pre-planned content.
Willie Salim apologized for the commotion caused by the rendang incident. He hopes that the people of Palembang do not feel cornered by the incident, which he said was his own negligence.
"I apologize profusely to all Palembang residents who were hurt because of the viral rendang. There are many unpleasant narratives against Palembang residents," said Willie Salim as quoted by brilio.net on Sunday (23/3).
Furthermore, Willie explained again that no other party was to blame for this incident. He admitted that he was fully responsible for not doing enough preparation before the event started.
Willie also denied the news that he was disappointed by the incident. He even admitted that he was happy because he could share with the people of Palembang even though there was an unwanted incident.
"This is not the fault of the people of Palembang. It is entirely my fault because I was not prepared," he said.
Willie admitted that this was his first experience holding a big event involving thousands of people. He said he had dreamed of breaking the fast with the people of Palembang, although the reality on the ground did not match his expectations.
Willie Salim apologizes for 200 kg rendang content
Instagram/@willie27_
For him, the enthusiasm of the Palembang community is a valuable lesson. He also emphasized that there was no disappointment at all, in fact he was happy because the event went ahead.
"I apologize, this is my first time cooking for that many people. In my mind, being able to gather and break the fast together with thousands of Palembang residents would be more than enough. There was no disappointment at all about the lost rendang, in fact, I was very happy to see the enthusiasm of the residents because in the end the rendang was cooked for the residents," he continued.
Willie also clarified the issue that the event was just a fabricated content. He admitted that he never thought that the situation would happen and it was purely due to a lack of calculation.
He called the incident a form of his inability to prepare the event properly. Therefore, he hopes that the public will not blame the people of Palembang for what happened.
"Honestly, I was just surprised to see the extraordinary enthusiasm of the residents. This is a lesson for me. I didn't engineer it, I just didn't calculate that it could happen, and that was my stupidity. Please don't blame the people of Palembang. If I had cooked earlier and prepared more thoroughly, this wouldn't have happened," he concluded.
In closing, Willie reiterated his apology. He hopes that the incident can be a lesson for the future.
"I apologize profusely," he concluded.
Get the spotlight from Chef Arnold.
The 200-kilogram rendang case also caught the attention of Chef Arnold Poernomo. He commented on the technical side of organizing a large cooking event which he said was not easy.
In a tweet, Chef Arnold said that cooking and distributing food in large quantities requires careful planning. He mentioned the team, time, and distribution strategy that must be arranged so as not to cause chaos.
Willie Salim apologizes for 200 kg rendang content
X/@ArnoldPoernomo
"Cooking a big meal and sharing it is not easy and so far the only one who can execute it well and on time is Bobon. It takes a team, time planning, what to cook, arranging the distribution so that it is not chaotic," wrote Chef Arnold in a tweet from the X account @ArnoldPoernomo.
Chef Arnold also questioned Willie's decision to cook that much rendang in a relatively short time. He admitted to being surprised by the process which he considered unrealistic and risked causing chaos on the field.
According to Chef Arnold, event organizers like this need to think about their social impact, not just creating viral content. He regrets how the situation in Palembang is being exploited for content purposes.
"Yes, how can you believe that 200 kg of meat can be used to cook rendang in 3 hours... it's a shame that people are storing it without any rules," he concluded.