The internet is a bizarre, wild place an eddy of curiosity, creativity, and chaos. One minute you’ve seen it all every silly hack, every embarrassing confession, or every laugh-a-minute mishap and the next, something new comes along and tests your sanity. It’s where memes are created, arguments are ignited, and the ridiculous becomes reality before you can reload a page. And this time, the site wasn’t Reddit or TikTok, where odd trends tend to flourish. It was LinkedIn yes, that paragon of professionalism where career guidance and professional networking normally hold court.
Meet Alexander Cohen, product manager at a health startup in Austin, Texas. He took LinkedIn’s stodgy environment and turned it upside down with a status update so shocking, it went viral. What was his masterstroke? Baking chicken yes, raw chicken in a hotel coffee machine. In the process, he made a boring business travel experience go viral and become an online sensation that left people both repelled and amused.
What’s more, Cohen wasn’t just looking for internet fame. He had a corporate-minded rationale behind it. His goal? To save money while traveling for work and show that every dollar counts when you’re trying to stay on top of your company’s bottom line. But as you’ll soon see, mixing poultry with a coffee machine wasn’t just about cost-cutting it became a viral internet moment that captured both shock and humor in equal measure.
Butternut Squash Risotto
Equipment
- 1 Sauce Pot For simmering stock
- 1 Medium Skillet For cooking risotto
- 1 Ladle For adding stock
- 1 Wooden Spoon or Spatula For stirring
- 1 Grater For garlic, nutmeg, and cheese
Ingredients
Main
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic grated or chopped
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 10-ounce box cooked frozen butternut squash
- Nutmeg grated, to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 7 or 8 leaves fresh sage slivered
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
- Bring 1 quart stock plus 1 cup water to a simmer in a sauce pot then reduce heat to low.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium to medium-high heat with olive oil. When oil ripples, add the onions and garlic and soften 2 to 3 minutes. Add rice and toast 2 to 3 minutes more. Add wine and cook it out completely, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle in stock in intervals, a couple of ladles at a time. Allow liquids to evaporate each time. Risotto will cook 18 minutes, total, from the first addition of liquid. Defrost the squash in your microwave in a dish to collect any liquids and stir in squash the last 3 minutes of cook time, season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. In the last minute of cooking time, stir in butter in small pieces, sage leaves and cheese, serve.
Notes
1. The Coffee Pot Chicken Frenzy How It All Started
On an otherwise ordinary Monday, September 5, Cohen made a LinkedIn posting that surprised everyone. It wasn’t a inspirational quotation or a smooth product launch, but a recipe prepared in a hotel coffee pot. He explained, “I’m on the road for business and rather than having a fancy meal out, I’ve opted to prepare an inexpensive meal in my hotel room.” But the punchline came on its heels: “Despite the fact the hotel room didn’t even have a kitchen, I found I could use the coffee maker to prepare chicken in butter and garlic.
Just imagine that for a moment. The same coffee maker you depend on for morning coffee now serves as a cooking tool for uncooked meat. Butter, garlic, and chicken residing in an appliance meant to make coffee for thousands of unsuspecting visitors. It makes your stomach churn!
But Cohen wasn’t just looking to shock people for the hell of it. He continued to clarify that although his company provided him with reimbursement for meals, he was looking to keep things under control. “Every dollar matters on the P&L,” he clarified that’s the profit and loss statement for those not fluent in corporate lingo. He even added hashtags such as #work, #money, #hotel, #promotion, and #careeradvice, and it appeared to be an innocent piece of advice for stingy professionals.
Why it caught fire instantly:
- It combined the absurd with the relatable we’ve all tried to save money while traveling.
- It poked fun at corporate culture’s obsession with efficiency.
- It took place on LinkedIn, where no one expects humor, let alone something grotesque.
This bizarre mix of cost-saving, DIY ingenuity, and culinary horror made the post irresistible. Before long, it spread far beyond its original audience, and the internet was hooked.
Bulgogi Beef (Korean-Style Barbecue)
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl For preparing and marinating the beef.
- 1 Grater Fine grater for onion, ginger, and Asian pear.
- 1 Cast-iron skillet Heavy-bottomed pan for high-heat cooking and caramelization.
- 1 Tongs For easy flipping and handling of the beef slices while cooking.
- 1 Cutting Board and Knife For preparing green onion garnish and if slicing beef.
Ingredients
Main
- 1 ¼ pounds boneless beef short ribs sliced across the grain in 1/8-inch thick slices
- 4 cloves garlic finely crushed
- ¼ cup grated yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated gingerroot
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar or to taste
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Asian pear
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Korean red pepper flakes gochugaru
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil plus more for brushing skillet
- 2 cups hot steamed rice or as needed
- 2 sliced green onion tops for garnish
Instructions
- Mix garlic, grated onion, grated ginger, toasted sesame oil, and brown sugar together in a mixing bowl. Stir in grated pear, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes.
- Transfer meat to marinade and toss to coat on all sides. Cover and refrigerate, 1 to 2 hours.
- Season meat with salt and a drizzle of vegetable oil. Toss.
- Brush a cast iron skillet with a little vegetable oil and place over high heat. When the skillet is very hot, add beef in a single layer and cook until meat begins to caramelize around the edges and moisture begins to evaporate, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve over hot rice and top with green onion slices. Chef John
Notes
2. Reactions That Spanned Disgust to Glee
As anticipated, the post went viral in hours and set off a maelstrom of reactions. Some were appalled, others disgusted, and a few thought it was comedy material. It was the sort of post that would make you chuckle despite yourself and then squirm when you dwelled on it for too long.
The health implications were the first concern expressed by many users. One LinkedIn commenter bluntly asked, “I take it they’re not counting the sick time you’ll need for giving yourself salmonella on a business trip?” It’s a perfectly valid question. No one wants to trade a pricey dinner for an emergency hospital visit. Another user took dark humor to a new level, going on to write, “I presume you pre cleaned the chicken in the toilet bowl first.” Frankly, at this point anything seemed possible.
Some people were curious if this was actually real. “This is satire, right? This has to be satire,” one user begged in desperation. That feeling resonated throughout the comments, as viewers struggled to separate an honest hack from a trolling work of art. Some even made light of how this could be the forewarning for other “creative” meal ideas on the road.
Some of the common reactions included:
- Health and safety concerns.
- Indignation at the possible effect on hotel visitors.
- Gossip as to whether the post was genuine or a joke.
LinkedIn is not exactly famous for carrying viral humor, so most users were totally surprised. The fact that a post such as this could be so simply passed around and discussed demonstrates how rapidly even the most outlandish concepts catch on in the modern web environment.
3. The Viral Explosion Across Platforms
The post soon did not remain limited to LinkedIn. It went viral in no time on other social media sites. On Twitter alone, it collected more than 82,500 likes and over 5,440 retweets. Reddit users added 6,200 upvotes and hundreds of comments breaking down the ridiculousness.
It was not just normal users, though. Comedians and influencers also entered the fray, posting screenshots and responding in their own respective ways. Emily Murnane, a comedian, commented, “LinkedIn really flies under the radar as the social media platform that’s absolutely the most unhinged.” Her remark best described the irony of stumbling upon such craziness on a site famous for professionalism.
One user jokingly quipped, “I feel like I’m allowed to sue you for this,” and another said, “Thanks, Eminem,” after catching on to Cohen’s prank was actually satire. Others chimed in with their own dubious hacks, so it goes to show that the internet loves nothing more than to experience a shared moment of ridiculousness.
Here’s why the post went viral:
- Broke the mold of what LinkedIn content is “supposed” to be.
- Folks connected with the underlying humor and shock.
- It encouraged others to relate their own outrageous stories.
4. When The Truth Came Out Satire or Shenanigans?
Before the people could even start preparing to call the health authorities and question the hotel management, Cohen struck again. He put up a sequel where he asked, “how to get the taste of chicken out of the pot.” It turned out that someone had complained to the hotel management, saying he would charge to the company card he had used. That made most people think that the whole post was actually an April Fool’s joke.
Shortly thereafter, Cohen backed up what many had started to suspect. In an interview with TODAY Food, he confessed, “I wasn’t even traveling at the time.” He was, rather, at an Austin FC game, stuck in traffic due to rain, and just looking for a means to get some enjoyment. No chicken. No coffee pot cooking. Just a goofy prank to amuse his fans.
He went on to explain that creating satire on LinkedIn had become “almost as a hobby” for him. Because most people don’t anticipate jokes on the site, it provided him with the ideal room to craft funny, surprising content mocking corporate culture.
Top takeaways from Cohen:
- The blog post was completely made up.
- He wasn’t even on a business trip.
- Humor on LinkedIn is a welcome relief from stodgy, traditional posts.
His report not only assuaged worried viewers but also turned the event into a case study of how satire and performance art flourish in unlikely settings.
5. The Bigger Picture Humor, Corporate Culture, and Critical Thinking
Aside from the gasps and laughter, Cohen’s performance was also a quiet comment on online spaces today. LinkedIn is more or less perceived as the no nonsense site of career development, networking, and self promotion. With what he posted, Cohen made people think twice about the unspoken guidelines of what goes where.
In addition, the fact that the post went viral highlighted how quickly misinformation or satirical information can be spread in a culture of instant sharing. Most users responded without pausing to fact check the story and illustrate how shock value quickly overshadows critical thinking.
It also underscored the ability of humor to guide through turbulent work cultures. Amidst corporate demands, travel nightmares, and the constant need to be “productive,” Cohen’s stunt gave people permission to laugh, to be absurd, and not take everything so seriously.
Lessons from the episode:
- Cyberspace can be good soil for creative play, even in nontraditional forms.
- Humor can make professional spaces more human and inspire real conversations.
- Critical thinking is more crucial than ever when responding to viral content.
For Cohen, it wasn’t simply about being funny. It was about shaking things up and bringing some much-needed humor to a world that sometimes gets too caught up in appearances over reality.
6. What We Can Learn from the Coffee Pot Chicken Saga
Ultimately, Alexander Cohen’s coffee pot chicken was more than a viral gag it became a primer on humor, perception, and internet etiquette. It reminded us that even the most ridiculous concepts can take off when they resonate with us. It also reminded us to not always believe what we read on the internet, even when it is presented in the guise of professional guidance or good natured kidding.
Beyond that, Cohen’s joke prompted users to enjoy a less serious side of life. He wasn’t seeking to shame anyone over corporate culture or cleanliness issues but rather encouraging people to laugh at the surprise. His point was blunt: “Work is work. Go outside and enjoy life.”
- Don’t hesitate to question content prior to acting.
- A dash of humor can work wonders, particularly in workplace environments.
- At times, life’s absurdity is what makes it unforgettable.
So the next time you drink coffee from a hotel dispenser, you could stop, laugh, and wonder whether some stranger somewhere has already made a meal out of it. Perhaps you’ll have your own tale to tell, or simply enjoy that humor is present even on the most uptight platforms.
