Maurice Levene, 44, walked through a Pennsylvania grocery store, narrating prices and uses for canned soups, microwaveable instant rice, and bags of pasta, in a video posted on TikTok on 6/7. The video showed how to prepare a family meal for under 5 USD.

"We're going to make gumbo. With just one onion, we're going to create amazing flavor. You don't need a grain of salt. Let's learn with us. Let's look at the cooking technique. I promise it's delicious," said Levene, owner of the TikTok account Chef Moe, which has over two million followers.

Maurice Levene demonstrates cooking a family meal for 5 USD, episode 46. Video: TikTok/Chef Moe

He chose a protein-rich dish consisting of pasta, lentils, garlic, onion, and canned tomato sauce, totaling 4.58 USD. He brought the ingredients back to his kitchen, mixing them while explaining each step to transform simple, inexpensive items into a flavorful meal. Levene's videos, which teach how to save on food costs, are gaining traction across the US as the cost of living remains a top concern for residents.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, consumer prices in may rose 4.2% compared to the same period last year, an increase from 3.8% in april, amid a third consecutive month of accelerating annual inflation. Inflation once again outpaced wage growth in may, despite wage increases having helped Americans keep up with rising prices for nearly three years.

A report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on 7/7 indicated that the expected inflation rate for the next one year was 3.7% in june, marking its highest level since 9/2023. This figure was 3.5% in may. US consumers are increasingly concerned about short-term inflationary pressures, even as worries about gasoline prices have eased and they feel more optimistic about their current and future personal finances, the report stated.

The prices of coffee, lettuce, tomatoes, and other essential goods have surged, forcing people to tighten their spending and putting pressure on family budgets. In another video, demonstrating how to prepare potatoes for gnocchi, Levene suggested boiling potatoes instead of baking them. After boiling, he removes them, returns them to the pot, and simmers them to evaporate excess water.

Levene then mashes the potatoes, mixes them with one egg and flour to form a smooth dough, which he then divides, rolls into long strips, and cuts into small pieces before creating ridges with a fork. Finally, these small potato pasta pieces are boiled and then sauteed with cooking oil, garlic, and cheese. "It's cheap, you can cook it for less than 5 USD, and it's incredibly delicious," he said.

Levene spent most of his career in New York kitchens, starting as a dishwasher at Chef Andrea restaurant in Brooklyn, then working as a line cook in various places before opening his own restaurant in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, in 2021. After one year, he closed the restaurant to transition into catering services and focus on his career as a social media chef. He never expected to become an internet influencer, creating content about budget cooking. He wasn't even the one who posted his first video to TikTok.

"It was my 19-year-old son," he recounted. "He asked me if I could make a detailed video showing how to make chicken parmesan." Levene explained, "I set up my phone and showed him step by step, explaining why I was doing it that way. He took that video and posted it on TikTok."

Levene during a cooking instruction video shoot. Photo: NBC

The video was warmly received. He realized people wanted to see more and tried several other recipes. Initially, he often broke down how to make classic restaurant dishes like French lemon chicken and chicken cordon bleu until he received a direct message. A follower expressed a strong desire to cook a dish he had demonstrated but had to wait until the end of the month to afford the ingredients. Her husband, the family's main provider, had recently passed away.

"She had three young children, and her family had to move from a big, beautiful house to a rented one-bedroom apartment, from never worrying about anything to thinking, 'I only have 5 USD in my pocket, I have to find a way to feed the kids'," he shared. "She kept telling me these things, and it touched my heart in a way I had never experienced before."

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in april that nearly 8.4 million adults in the US, or about 5.2% of the workforce, are working multiple jobs due to inflation and rising living costs. According to the organization Feeding America, food insecurity affects children at a higher rate, with one in five children living in food-insecure households.

Levene noted that he receives hundreds of messages daily. Some say they are not food insecure but simply enjoy his cooking skills. "I want my videos to be for everyone, but the main goal remains food security," he stated. Levene wants everyone to understand they can feed their families without shame, without feeling obligated to serve Wagyu beef to their spouses and children. "You can absolutely make Dinty Moore beef stew taste like Wagyu," he said.

"Many people think that cooking for a family on a tight budget means sacrificing flavor, but that's not true," Levene concluded. "The most important thing I teach is how to extract the most flavor possible from affordable ingredients."

Hong Hanh (According to Washington Post, Today)