In an era of social media stunts and attention-seeking antics, Italian food vlogger Federica Rossi has taken things to new heights—literally. Rossi, a self-proclaimed “gallivanting gourmet” from Torino, Italy, recently cooked up a controversy by preparing a cheesecake from scratch during a Ryanair flight, sparking a heated online debate about etiquette in shared spaces.
Rossi’s 35-second Instagram clip, which has amassed nearly 2 million views, shows her turning her window seat into a makeshift kitchen. Armed with a baking pan, cream cheese, and strawberry jam, she crafted the dessert in under 15 minutes. The video captures each step of the process, from layering a crumble crust with butter and honey to topping it off with a sweet jam glaze.
While Rossi’s culinary creativity earned her some applause, it also unleashed a wave of criticism from viewers who questioned the appropriateness of baking on a crowded flight.
“Do people not realize commercial flights are shared with other passengers?” one commenter fumed.
Another sarcastically noted, “Welp, there it is—the dumbest thing I’ve seen all day.”
Flight etiquette enthusiasts weighed in as well, with one observer quipping, “I know the flight attendants were talking mad trash about this nonsense.”
Rossi was quick to defend herself, claiming her dessert prep was a silent and crumb-free affair that didn’t disrupt her fellow passengers. She even cleaned up after herself, she assured critics.
“I cleaned before and especially after. It took me 15 minutes in silence. I didn’t leave even a crumb, and I ate the cake with my two friends who were next to me,” Rossi responded online.
Still, skeptics remained unconvinced, pointing out the logistical challenges of getting her ingredients through airport security and onto the plane.
Rossi’s cheesecake escapade may have raised eyebrows, but it also sparked a broader conversation about in-flight behavior. The lingering aroma of cheesecake, some noted, is far more tolerable than other culinary choices passengers have made.
Case in point: one TikTok user recently shared their horror at witnessing a fellow traveler devour a tuna melt mid-flight, leaving the cabin filled with a distinctly fishy smell.
“Why are we eating a tuna melt on a flight?!?” Zavier Torrence wrote, advocating for a 10-day “incarceration” for offenders of in-flight food etiquette.
Responses to Torrence’s post were mixed. While many shared his disdain for pungent airplane snacks, others defended the right to eat onboard—provided it doesn’t leave an overpowering smell.
“Fish of any kind on a plane is diabolical,” declared one user, while another admitted, “Hell yeah, I’m eating. Just not a tuna melt.”
Rossi’s cheesecake stunt is emblematic of a broader cultural trend: the relentless pursuit of social media fame at the expense of common sense and shared respect. While her creativity is commendable, it’s hard to ignore the underlying message of entitlement—turning a shared public space into a personal stage for likes and views.
As society becomes increasingly self-centered, it’s worth asking whether stunts like these are harmless fun or a symptom of declining consideration for others. Either way, one thing is clear: the skies are no longer just for flying—they’re for showboating, too.
