“Okay Na ‘To”: Where Did This Viral Phrase Come From?

(SPOT.ph) If you ask us, mukbang is so three years ago. The real trend now? Watching someone cook— but that’s not why Grace Tanfelix is everywhere. If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve probably heard her say “okay na ‘to” more times than you can count.

Mommy Grace has been sharing cooking videos on Facebook, where she prepares large servings of home-cooked meals. She would always end the session with her signature phrase “okay na ‘to” in the most easygoing tone you’ve ever heard in your life.

It's short, sweet, and the stuff of memes. Most of her videos rack up views in the millions, some reaching as high as 25-M.

People have taken her favorite phrase beyond the walls of her kitchen. On TikTok, users have applied “okay na ‘to” to everything from ending up with a terrible haircut to dealing with a breakup to putting minimal effort at work. The phrase has become shorthand for making do with what you have. Although for Mommy Grace, those might be words of approval, or her way of saying, "Good to go."

@dumpnijambi Ok na to #fyp ♬ original sound - Jambi

@nikkii199x Biglang sumanib si GRACE TANFELIX “OKAY NA’ TO” #GRACETANFELIX #okaynato ♬ original sound - nikkii199x

@michael.pangilinan

okay na to

♬ original sound - Michael Pangilinan

@adie_space Pulling the Ms Grace Tanfelix card #gracetanfelix #workmeme #adulting #worklife ♬ Roman Holiday Sped Up - Jadyn

Now with over 2.4 million followers on Facebook and 482,000 on TikTok, Mommy Grace has become quite the internet sensation. Even her son, Sparkle actor Miguel Tanfelix, has acknowledged the meme’s popularity. And perhaps to return the favor, she recently cooked him his favorite Corned Beed Picadillo Soup.

Also read: The Internet Can’t Stop Saying “Sobrang Latina!”—How Did It Even Start?

Grace Tanfelix on her cooking videos

But why does Mommy Grace always cook so much—and for whom?

Miguel told 24 Oras that his mom’s habit of cooking in large batches began when the house kitchen was being renovated—she would prepare food for the workers then the routine just stuck. Living in a family compound also meant the food was shared among relatives, often lasting the whole day.

Before getting into content creation, Mommy Grace was a preschool teacher who dedicated many years to raising her son as he pursued his acting career. As Miguel grew older, she found more time to explore her passion for cooking, which eventually led her to share her recipes on the internet. Her favorites to prepare are Leche Flan and Caldereta.

"One time, nagluluto ako. Sabi ko, i-video ko kaya ito then, pinost ko sa TikTok. Nagustuhan naman ng viewers and then, more pa raw. Nagsunod-sunod na," Mommy Grace said. Good thing she didn't stop at that first video, dismiss the clamor, and told herself, "Okay na 'to."

Also read: Paging Dr. Beat: Why Is Budots Going International on TikTok?