Tiny Chef is going viral after its creators animated a heartbreaking reaction to the news Nickelodeon would be cancelling the show after three years on the air.
You may not have heard of The Tiny Chef Show before and well, you’re not alone. It turns out millions are now learning about the adorable stop-motion series, but not in the way its creators would have hoped.
Three years after premiering on Nickelodeon, spanning 31 episodes across three seasons, The Tiny Chef Show was cancelled on June 25, 2025. Rather than reacting on camera themselves, the show’s creators made one final animation to show us how the Tiny Chef took the news. Let’s just say it didn’t go down well.
The stop-motion short is so utterly heartbreaking that it’s being shared far and wide across the internet as millions sympathize with the main character of the children’s show. It’s blown up to such an extent that there’s already a chance it may come back.
Tiny Chef reacts to cancellation
In the 76 second animated clip shared on June 25, we see the titular character carrying out their ordinary daily duties. While typically, the character would be cooking up one of their favorite “weshipees,” here they’re dusting the set between recordings.
Not long in, the whimsical chef gets a call. “Hey Mickelflodeon. You ready to cook up some more episodes?”
Before they can finish the sentence, their jaw drops, as does the duster they were just holding. “What do you mean cancelled?”
With their lip quivering, the Tiny Chef struggles to process the devastating news. “But… we won an Emmy,” they say, tears now streaming down their face.
Ending the call, they try to muster up the courage to go back to dusting their place but in a flash they’re overwhelmed by emotions. The last we see of the Tiny Chef is them crying on their bed.
Anyone with a soul can feel the emotion poured into this final stop-motion sequence from its creators Rachel Larsen, Ozlem Akturk, and Adam Reid.
Before long, emotionally-charged reactions came pouring in from across social media. Even from viewers who had never engaged with the show before now, thousands were moved by the reaction video and responded in kind.
“As someone who has never seen a second of this show until this video, I am heartbroken and would run through a wall for Tiny Chef,” one impassioned viewer said.
“I need him to be on air forever,” another chimed in. “I just found out who he was and he’s so cute.”
“I have no idea who this character is, but animating its emotional breakdown is a diabolical way to guilt the producers. I support it,” another viral repost added.
Tiny Chef set to continue?
Since the outpouring of support for the adorable lil fella, Tiny Chef’s creators have responded with a new way for fans to show their appreciation.
Aptly titled the ‘Fan Cwub,’ a new website now exists that allows viewers to donate in order to give the show new life on the internet.
“Many have said that you would die for Tiny Chef, we don’t need all that (!!!) but we do need crowdfunding to keep going,” a statement reads.
As such, those passionate enough are able to send financial support in hopes of seeing Tiny Chef back on screen in no time. Furthermore, the creators have advised fans to subscribe to their YouTube channel, as this seems the most likely destination for future content.
Who could ignore this cute little guy?
At the time of writing, Nickelodeon is yet to comment on the viral craze caused by its decision to cancel The Tiny Chef Show.
From the Snyder Cut to Sonic’s feature film appearance completely changing, we’ve all seen what social media is capable of. Who’s to say what the future of this animated show has in store. We’ll be sure to keep you updated with any new updates.