A simple joke about a boy cooking has turned into a full-blown meme machine. The format, How It Feels to Cook a Yummy Meal As a Boy, started as a single image shared on Twitter and X in October 2025. By late August 2026, it had been turned into an animation, posted by TikToker @idk.shir0, and sent off waves of redraws across social media. Characters from anime, horror games, and even a parody version of a terrible meal have taken over the template.
The original post came from @feydemon, who shared an image of Yorihime Nao from the visual novel Yosuga no Sora smiling while cooking on a stove. The caption read, “how it feels to cook a yummy meal as a boy #Male,” with the joke being that it felt delightfully feminine to cook a yummy meal as a boy. The post gained over 19,000 likes and 3,300 reposts in a year.
From Image to Animation
The meme took a big step forward in August 2026 when @idk.shir0 posted an animated version of the meme. In it, Yorihime Nao bops her head to the song “Falling Tears Remix.” The animation gained over 1.5 million views in three weeks.
The caption stayed faithful to the original: “how it feels to cook a yummy meal as a boy #Male.” @idk.shir0 added a note about the post itself, saying, “I should be editing rn but I did this for some reason, she cute tho so it’s ok.” The hashtags #meme and #funny rounded out the post.
Redraws Change the Caption
Soon after the animation landed, users began swapping out Yorihime Nao for other characters entirely. The template became a format, and the caption changed to fit each new face.
On September 2nd, 2026, X user @d7stro posted a version of the meme with a caption altered to read, “how it feels to cook a yummy meal as a non-binary person #Human.” That post gained over 31,000 likes in three weeks.
Three days later, on September 5th, 2026, X user @natsukami posted a similar version featuring Kudryavka Noumi from Kud Wafter. That post garnered over 9,400 likes in about three weeks.
Then on September 9th, TikToker @soulreapur posted a version featuring Ichigo from Bleach. That post garnered over 114,000 views in two weeks. The caption here took a dark turn: “how it feels to cook a HORRENDOUS meal as a boy #male.”
The Mimic Joins the Party
On September 15th, 2026, X user @V3rySillyWilly posted a version of the meme that replaced the character with The Mimic from the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise. That post gained over 3,500 likes in a week.
The trend kept spreading. One user, @prepexl, posted a version with a food edit attached, adding animations by @Shir0. Another, @nice_ed1tz, posted a version tied to the Invincible franchise, using the hashtag #howitfeelstocookayummymealasaboy.
“I should be editing rn but I did this for some reason, she cute tho so it’s ok.”
What the Meme Actually Says
The joke is simple: a boy cooking a meal is presented as a feminine act, and the image of Yorihime Nao cooking suggests that femininity is delightful. The animation adds movement, and the redraws add context. Each new version carries its own meaning, whether it is about non-binary identity, anime fandom, or horror franchises.
The version with Ichigo is a notable outlier. Instead of a pleasant meal, it describes a terrible one. The contrast is part of what makes the format so flexible — it can be used for joy, for parody, or for horror.
Why It Worked
The meme worked because it started small and built slowly. The original image was a single post with a caption that resonated. When it was turned into an animation, it became easier to share. And when users were allowed to swap in their own characters, the format opened up.
The format also benefits from a strong visual anchor. Yorihime Nao is a recognizable character from a well-known visual novel, and the image of her cooking is easy to remember. That makes it simple for others to remake the image with their own favorite characters.
Where It Goes Next
The trend shows no signs of slowing down. More versions keep appearing, and the format remains open to anyone who wants to use it. The original joke was small, but it found a nerve. Now it belongs to everyone who cooks a meal.
The meme has become a format, and formats are durable. They survive because they are flexible enough to hold many meanings at once. A boy cooking a meal can mean tenderness, it can mean parody, it can mean horror. That range is what keeps it alive.
The Numbers Behind It
Here is a quick look at how the meme grew:
| Date | User | Platform | Character | Views/Likes | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 27, 2025 | @feydemon | X/Twitter | Yorihime Nao | 19,000 likes, 3,300 reposts | Original image post |
| Aug 31, 2026 | @idk.shir0 | TikTok | Yorihime Nao | 1.5M+ views in 3 weeks | Animated version |
| Sep 2, 2026 | @d7stro | X | N/A | 31,000+ likes in 3 weeks | Non-binary caption |
| Sep 5, 2026 | @natsukami | X/Twitter | Kudryavka Noumi | 9,400+ likes in ~3 weeks | Kud Wafter version |
| Sep 9, 2026 | @soulreapur | TikTok | Ichigo | 114,000+ views in 2 weeks | Horrible meal version |
| Sep 15, 2026 | @V3rySillyWilly | X | The Mimic | 3,500+ likes in a week | Freddy’s version |
The numbers show a clear pattern. The animation drew the biggest audience, followed by the Ichigo version, then the Kud Wafter version, then the non-binary version, then the original image post. That order reflects how the format spread — from a single image to a fully animated meme to a wave of redraws.
The Verdict
The meme is a success. It started as a small joke and became a format. The animation gave it legs, and the redraws gave it life. The HORRENDOUS meal version shows that the format can bend in unexpected directions.
The trend is relatable because cooking a meal is a universal experience. Everyone knows what it feels like to stand over a stove, whether you are a boy, a non-binary person, or just hungry. The meme captures that feeling and dresses it up in characters from anime and horror games.
The meme is also funny because it is specific. It takes a common activity — cooking — and makes it feel special by pairing it with a character who looks like she enjoys it. The joke works because it is sincere. The caption is not sarcastic. It is a genuine statement about the pleasure of the act.
The format will likely continue to evolve. New characters will be added, new captions will be written, and new interpretations will emerge. The core joke is simple enough to sustain for now.
The trend is still young, and it is still growing. The numbers keep rising, and the creativity keeps flowing. The format has proven itself durable, and it will likely remain a part of the online conversation for months to come.
For now, the meme stands as a reminder that a good idea can travel far. All it takes is a single image, a caption, and a community willing to remix it.
Source material: “The Feeling Of Cooking A Yummy Meal As A Boy Inspires A Relatable Redraw Meme Format,” Know Your Meme.
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