Celebrity Chef Wang Gang Vows to Stop Cooking Egg Fried Rice Amid Nationalist Backlash

The controversy stems from a longstanding rumor linking the dish to the death of Mao Zedong's eldest son, Mao Anying, during the Korean War.

Chinese celebrity chef Wang Gang has pledged to never cook egg fried rice again after facing backlash from nationalists who accused him of mocking the death of Mao Zedong's eldest son, Mao Anying.
Mao Anying was killed in an American air strike during the Korean War, and a controversial rumor suggests he was cooking egg fried rice at the time, which gave away his position.
Wang's apology video was in response to criticism about a cooking video he posted on Chinese social media site Weibo, which nationalists interpreted as an insult due to its timing around the anniversary of Mao Anying's death.
This is not the first time Wang has faced criticism for posting egg fried rice recipes around sensitive dates, having previously faced backlash in 2018 and 2020.
Some supporters have come to Wang's defense, arguing that he posts egg fried rice recipes throughout the year, not just around sensitive dates.