Controversy over ‘Zwarte Piet’ cake: influencer deletes all her accounts
You know it’s almost December 5 when not only gingerbread cookies fly through the air, but heated debates about Zwarte Piet do too. This week, TikTok influencer Sherell Martini (4.5 million followers!) came under fire after posting a video of a ‘Zwarte Piet’ cake. The post caused quite a stir, after which Martini deleted her TikTok, Instagram and Facebook accounts. Now she is speaking out for the first time.
In a video message, she says: “I want to offer my sincere apologies if you felt hurt. I really hadn’t thought it through properly.”
Martini has been creating food content for years and says she didn’t realize how sensitive the subject is. But social media saw things differently: many followers and fellow influencers responded angrily.
The cake that set everything in motion
The cake comes from Bakkerij Plasman in The Hague, which has been making the creation for 25 years. And the bakery is just around the corner from Sherell’s home. She often picks up something delicious there and posts about it. As she did this time. A Zwarte Piet cake, or in other words, a chocolate cake with a dark face, red lips and earrings. “That perhaps wasn’t such a smart thing to do,” Sherell said.
After the explosion of criticism, the bakery immediately stopped selling the cake. And that wasn’t the only storm.
Controversy in The Hague: “Racist caricature” vs. “Chocolate is brown”
AD and Hart van Nederland report that several The Hague council members call the cake a “racist caricature.”
Baker Armand Vermeulen believes that is unfair: “We’ve been making this cake for 25 years. There is no malicious intent behind it. People simply like it.”
According to the baker, the cakes have been available to order in different colors for years—from soot-smudge to marzipan. But it turns out the chocolate version is always the most popular. “And yes, chocolate is brown,” he said.
Sherell’s apology
Martini emphasizes that inclusivity is important to her and that she appreciates the Sinterklaas celebration “in all shapes and colors.” “It was never my intention to exclude anyone.”
Meanwhile, the discussion continues to trigger heated reactions on social media:
“With so many followers, you should know what you’re posting.”
“How can someone with 4.5 million followers not see this coming?” Answer: “I didn’t know social media could blow up so incredibly. I always post things spontaneously and often a little impulsively, and then I simply don’t think it through.” (??)
Sherell Martini became known in 2021 for her creative food videos. In addition to her online popularity, she also works as a primary school teacher, which of course only fuels the discussion further…
Also read:
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- How to chop a bunch of herbs in no time
Sources: Puna, Hart van Nederland
