There’s no question that Hiroshi Suzuki is passionate about his job as Japan’s ambassador to the United Kingdom. His latest social media post, however, had Brits teasing him for how he chose to enjoy one of the nation’s favorite toasty treats.
A culinary faux pas?
Suzuki has been working in international diplomatic relations for years. His first posting was at the US Embassy in 1988. He’s since served as the ambassador to India and Bhutan.
He became Japan’s Ambassador to the UK in September 2024 and has been making a splash ever since. Earlier this year, for example, he garnered social media attention for a video of him singing the unofficial national anthem of Wales, “Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau” (The Old Land of My Fathers), in Welsh.
This, plus other footage of Suzuki going to pubs and other locations around Britain, has made him a social media star in the country. The Telegraph referred to him as the “Paddington Bear of ambassadors” – a tribute Suzuki took to heart by taking a Paddington doll to various locations on his latest trip back to Japan. For example, he took Paddington to the Osaka Expo, while his wife took the beloved bear character created by British author Michael Bond to Gion.
However, it appears Paddington needs a lesson on crumpet toppings. Suzuki posted a picture of the bear with a crumpet, the classic British griddle cake.
“Marmalade on crumpet!!” Suzuki triumphed, obviously thinking he had combined two great British tastes that taste great together.
The Internet being the Internet – i.e., an ego-wrecking wasteland packed with insufferable know-it-alls – some commenters couldn’t take this in the spirit it was posted. Rather, they took the ambassador to task for everything from putting marmalade on crumpets to the way the treat was toasted.
“Let’s talk weird combos: Butter on hot crumpet so it melts, bovril then artificial cheese slices on top,” one wrote. “Never marmalade on crumpets though. Marmalade on hot toast with butter only.”
Others slammed the marmalade itself. “With utmost respect, and as a British lover of marmalade who used to take marmalade sandwiches to school as my lunch, Paddington deserves better marmalade!”
“I love your commitment to all things British but I have to tell you Marmalade is for toast at breakfast,” said another.
An apology that wasn’t necessary
Later the same day, Suzuki apologized for the post and asked, “Please let me know the proper way of enjoying crumpets.”
And did he ever get a load of advice. “Two at a time. Toasted with lots of butter, the first one with marmite and the second with jam or lemon curd,” one wrote. “They are lovely with dairylea cheese on or butter and marmite,” another seconded.
However, others rebuked X users for even questioning the ambassador’s choice of toppings:
“People who say they’ve never put marmalade on a crumpet are just lying.”
“Paddington loves marmalade so I’m not really sure what the issue is here.”
But perhaps my favorite was the user who asked: “which one of you hurt this man.”
If nothing else, the “incident” shows how food combinations and manners are up for debate in any culture. In Japan, for example, people differ on subjects such as whether it’s okay to put wasabi in soy sauce or whether to dip nigiri sushi topping-first or rice-first.
Do what makes you happy, I say – so long as it doesn’t cause an international incident.
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Sources
How the Japanese ambassador became an unlikely social media star. Telegraph
