An Italian man cooking spaghetti in Cuba during a power outage, with his Cuban mother-in-law attempting to break the pasta beside him, has become TikTok's most amusing cultural clash this week.
This short clip, shared last Saturday by content creator Ailet Santos (@ailetsantos), runs for just 57 seconds and was captured by candlelight during a Cuban blackout.
The scene, simple yet captivating, shows Ailet's mother trying to snap the spaghetti before placing it in the boiling water, a common practice in many Cuban households. The Italian boyfriend quickly interjects with a firm "no, no, no."
With remaining patience, the Italian explains that in Italy, spaghetti is always placed whole into the pot and never broken.
The highlight of the video is when someone attempts again to break the pasta, and he humorously erupts with a loud "TRA! TRA! TRA!" leaving the family in fits of laughter.
The video’s transcript even captures the Italian’s defense: "That's... disrespectful to Italians."
In Italy, breaking spaghetti before cooking is considered a culinary taboo; long pasta is designed to twirl around the fork, better hold the sauce, and maintain its al dente texture.
Breaking it is often seen by Italians as a sign of culinary ignorance and disrespect for tradition.
The video description, penned by Ailet herself, humorously summarizes the scene: "Italian spaghetti recipe in Cuba, during a blackout but with all the attitude. My Italian boyfriend VS my mom."
The blackout detail is significant: the scene unfolds by candlelight amidst Cuba's severe electrical crisis in June 2026, with generation deficits surpassing 2,000 MW and outages lasting up to 50 hours in some provinces.
This mix of cultural clash, family humor, and Cuban reality is precisely why the video resonates so strongly with the diaspora.
Ailet Santos is no stranger to documenting these cultural encounters between her Italian partner and Cuban customs. In May, she released another viral video about misunderstandings with Cuban expressions of affection that her boyfriend struggled to grasp.
Meanwhile, in Cuba, other content creators have highlighted the daily burden of blackouts: one young Cuban woman broke down emotionally discussing how the outages affect her mental health, while another vented on social media after 25 hours without electricity.
Ailet's video, however, achieves something more challenging: finding laughter, even by candlelight, in the life they are compelled to live.
Insights into Cuban Culture and Power Outages
Why is breaking spaghetti considered disrespectful in Italy?
In Italy, spaghetti is designed to be twirled around the fork, allowing it to hold sauce better and retain its texture. Breaking it is seen as a disregard for this culinary tradition.
How are power outages affecting daily life in Cuba?
Cuba is experiencing severe power shortages, with outages lasting up to 50 hours in some areas, affecting both daily activities and the mental health of its residents.