'Cucumber Guy' Logan Issues Statement for 'Inventing' Hot Pot Bombs, Asian Creators Say There's 'No Sorry Here'

TikTok food creator Logan Moffitt, known to his millions of followers as the 'Cucumber Guy,' is facing backlash after promoting a new product on his page, saying he helped create the 'first-ever' hot pot bomb, a dish deeply rooted in Asian culinary history.

The controversy centres on Moffitt's early February collaboration with Fly By Jing, a popular Sichuan condiment brand founded by entrepreneur Jing Gao.

While both parties have since acknowledged the wording was inaccurate, Asian creators and community members argue Moffitt's follow-up statement stopped short of addressing why the claim was offensive in the first place.

What's the Story Behind the Backlash

On 4 February, Fly By Jing announced the launch of the 'Hot Pot Bomb,' a compact cube of Sichuan-style hot pot base designed for quick, single-portion meals. The product, sold in packs of four for $25 or as part of a $50 starter kit with a mini electric pot, was marketed as a convenient way to make hot pot at home.

In early promotional videos and posts, Moffitt described the product as 'first ever hotpot bomb' framing it as a novel concept. Viewers quickly flagged the phrasing, noting that hot pot soup bases — including cube and brick forms — have been widely sold across China and other parts of Asia for decades, with major brands like Haidilao and Little Sheep offering similar products at lower prices.

Soon, multiple creators, reacting to that claim, made videos accusing the campaign of repackaging a traditional food for a Western audience while presenting it as something newly invented.

Logan Moffitt's 'Apology' Statement

However, by 5 February, Moffitt had removed the original promotional video and posted an update to Instagram acknowledging the issue.

In his statement, he wrote that the product launch included 'misleading promotional wording,' adding that 'hot pot cubes have existed for a long time' and that referring to the product as 'the first' failed to acknowledge the food's cultural history.

He said the cubes were developed by Fly By Jing's team and praised Gao for building a brand rooted in her Chengdu background.

Moffitt thanked users who raised concerns and said he would be 'more responsible and thoughtful going forward.' The post did not include a direct apology, nor did it address accusations of cultural appropriation.

Moffitt has not yet responded publicly to comments on his social accounts.

The Response Drew More Criticism

The statement became the next focal point of the backlash. Asian creators who stitched or replied to the post argued that framing the issue as a marketing mistake minimised deeper concerns about who profits from Asian food traditions and how credit is assigned.

Across TikTok, videos criticising the response gained tens of thousands of views, saying Moffitt 'didn't actually apologise' and instead blamed the controversy on promotional language.

Similar reactions appeared in comment sections on Fly By Jing's official TikTok account, where users wrote that the statement 'missed the point.'

The dispute has brought back conversations about cultural appropriation and how easily the West whitewashes Eastern culture and labels it 'as their own.'

Moffitt's rise has been fueled by viral cucumber salad videos that draw inspiration from Korean and Chinese flavours. While those videos were widely praised, many say the Hot Pot Bomb rollout illustrates how credit and framing matter once money enters the picture.