U.S. Olympian is doing ... salad reviews?
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The U.S. women’s hockey team made headlines this week by routing rival Canada 5-0 at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy. Goalie Aerin Frankel stopped 20 shots and recorded her second shutout in her first Olympic tournament.
Frankel’s performance has drawn widespread praise and attention, but it is not the only reason she has been in the spotlight lately.
It was recently revealed that Frankel runs an Instagram page — described in her bio as “a passion project” — called @painbyromaine, where she reviews and rates salads.
A buffet of social media reactions
Of course this new revelation blew up online. Here are some of the best reactions.
Finding out that team USA’s goalie Aerin Frankel has an Instagram solely dedicated to rating Caesar salads gave me an inexplicable amount of joy. 🥲Goalie’s are the weirdest breed and need to be protected at all costs. ❤️#WinterOlympicspic.twitter.com/lOvoTV2CFZ— Krystal (@krysd93) February 11, 2026
Meet the Team USA Goalie obsessed with Caesar Salads. 🥗
Aerin Frankel just shut out Canada 5-0, but her real mission is finding the world’s best Caesar salad.
Her account @painbyromaine is strictly for salad reviews, including a 9/10 score for a Caesar Salad Hot Dog.… pic.twitter.com/Aa9KT5A934— Caleb Parke (@calebparke) February 11, 2026
I'm sorry I just found out that the hockey goalie for Team USA has an Instagram account where all she does is rate Ceasar Salads.
I love my country so much sometimes.— Justin (@TiredBambooLaw) February 11, 2026
And last but not least, Frankel even got a shoutout on espnW’s Instagram account.
When the passion developed, and why?
Frankel has been posting since May 2024. “I just love Caesar salads. I try different ones, give them a rating, and say where I ate it. People send them in, too. I’m trying to get one from every state and every country,” she said.
Being selected to the Olympic team has no doubt helped her with that quest.
Her most recent post is a collection of food from Milan, noting that “more Caesar content” will be coming soon.
The women’s hockey team is a quirky bunch, particularly the goalies.
“I think it’s stereotypical in any sport that the goalie is a bit of an oddball, and that definitely applies to hockey. Our job is to stand in the net and get hit by shots. It takes a certain type of person to want to do that,” fellow U.S. goalie Gwyneth Phillips said.
Up next for Team USA is a quarterfinal match against Italy on Friday.
