Everybody’s got to eat. But do you have to bring food like fish and bacon to work to cook in the microwave. Trust me, it never smells as good at work as it does at home the night before.
No matter how big or small your office is, the smell of certain foods will flow. Even if you have your own office with a microwave in it, and you think you’re being kind by shutting the door while you microwave your leftovers, the smell will escape. If your co workers are looking at you funny on your way back from the kitchen, there is a reason.
Nobody ever eats toast at work either. At least I can’t tell if they do because toast is practically odorless if you don’t burn it. Or maybe it’s just that the smell of toast is overpowered by the deliciously smelly cabbage somebody brought in from their garden and nuked up for lunch.
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any interest in following up on this issue? Try to find out who the culprits in your office are? A project I am working on may be able to help. If interested e-mail at mookbat@aol.com.
Blair on June 18th, 2007 at 4:09 pm | Link
The author of this article is in desparate need of diversity and sensitivty training. Fish is a normal and healthy part of a diet for people all around the world. If you are unable to cope in a diverse workplace then you should consider self-employment.
Paul on October 13th, 2007 at 3:50 pm | Link
This is pure facism. Imagine if you were in a workplace and muslim corkers objected to you eating pork for lunch? Or vegan coworkers complained that your beef stank. Discrimination doesn’t have to be illegal for it to be just plain wrong.
Happy on October 13th, 2007 at 3:54 pm | Link
You see, people, it’s not about sensitivity, racism, and all that fancy mumbo jumbo.
Friggin microwaves should be banned for ALL…fairly & equally. Bring a sangawich or go out for hot food. If you say you do not have time, imagine the lost time you are costing your organization due to coworkers silently suffering & skulking off to the toilet to puke from burnt popcorn, curry, & turmeric infested haddock.
Workplace microwaves, like workplace washrooms are COMMUNAL and we all know, nobody likes the smell of somebody else’s ****, but our own **** odor does not bother us.
I like this analogy because all races & genders defecate.
Turdo on October 17th, 2007 at 8:32 pm | Link
I agree with the article. You will always have one that brings in fish, collard greens and all of it covered in some island spice. It smells like crap but they don’t have enough sense to realize it.
Eric on January 9th, 2008 at 1:29 pm | Link
I get it. If 99% say “no fish” and 1% say “fish,” the 1% wins. BUT, if 99% say “fish” and 1% say “no fish,” the 1% STILL wins. The meek truly SHALL inherit the earth because there are enough multicultural, spineless twits out there to defend to the death (NOT THEIR OWN, OF COURSE) the so-called rights of the minority (until white males become the minority) to run roughshod over the majority. Gotta love liberals.
Common Sense on March 19th, 2008 at 12:13 pm | Link
OK…what about those who can’t eat BREAD, WHEAT, etc.?
I’m totally allergic to wheat, so eating a sandwich or going out are NOT possible for someone like me. I miss sandwiches, thank God above that you can (1) eat them or (2) afford to eat out.
I just ate a microwaved rice dinner, the ONLY dinner that I can find that doesn’t contain wheat and cost $$$$. Most of the time I’m stuck bringing something that sucks from home.
Perhaps you don’t realize there are other needs to consider.
A Stewart on April 1st, 2008 at 9:39 am | Link
You know what? It’s food. Get over yourself and let others eat that which they choose. And while you’re at it, be thankful that you have such a petty complaint.
ChicagoGuy on April 15th, 2008 at 10:30 am | Link
What idiots. You all are spinning these yarns trying to side step the issue, which is not about trying to be anti cultural or not allow people to eat what they want. It’s about being respectful of others around you on the jobsite. Fish cooked in a microwave smells horrible, period. You can eat what you want, but it’s not fair that others who sit near the breakroom have to put up with it. Eat your fish, but don’t bring it to work if the smell is offensive. I love pizza, but if I thought that it gave off a repulsive smell that offended other workers and made them sick, then I damn sure would choose something else to eat at lunch while I am at work. It’s common courtesy for God sake.
Some people are allergic to seafood and just by breathing in the fumes can cause an allergic reaction, which could even be fatal. This is unacceptible. So, let’s not offend people who bring the stinking food in to cook at work, but it’s ok to send someone to the hospital or make people sick because you are to damn dumb to realize that people cannot tolerate certain odors and they have the right not to have to endure it while on the jobsite.
Linda on November 17th, 2008 at 11:59 am | Link
I totally agree with Linda. I work in a large office and this happens from time to time. I once tried to tell the co-worker that his steamed broccoli - YES he steamed it in his office was not very nice smelling and he actually said he thought it smelled delicious - finally someone gave him the word because he doesn’t do it anymore. The Office is NOT the place for any of this. When about 3 different dishes all melled together I actually lose my appetite and beg for some fresh air.
Becky on March 21st, 2009 at 4:51 pm | Link
I have a huge problem with ONE co-worker constantly microwaving stuff. He cooks bacon, eggs, popcorn, hot-pockets. If it can be microwaved he cooks it. I once got into a situation with him when he cooked popcorn and it stank up the whole office. After it was cooked I sprayed air freshener…and a LOT of it too. I admit I over did the spraying a bit, but this was the last straw on an already bad day. We may have both been talked to, but he stopped cooking popcorn in our office and now uses the microwave down the hall for it. I still have problems with him cooking everything else tho. And I wouldn’t mind so much if he did it during breaks and lunch hours when I can escape the office, but he eats at ALL HOURS EXCEPT for breaks and lunches when I have to sit there and suffer. I’ve actually had to go to the bathroom to hide out for 15 minutes until the stink clears. This is what I have a problem with. I just believe he should eat at the designated break times and not the times when we’re suppose to be working.
Sue on May 28th, 2009 at 6:45 am | Link
So So sad.
I work in a hospice for the terminally ill. Time and time again we get patients who cant stand food smells - strangely they’re always in with colon cancer….
You sense of smell is there to aid the correct choice of food.
Ask any dietitian, food is only ever odorless for one reason - its dead. Its kind of a clue about its effect on you.
The air freshener wont work. though it might give someone an asthma attack, for which you can be disciplined if you didn’t get your co-workers express permission.
Let and let live. Keep the microwave clean. Make friends. Leave your desk and get some fresh air. Be happy.
Alex on June 8th, 2009 at 7:50 am | Link
You have no idea what it is like working with an Bangalore or New Deli team and the stuff they bring in to eat. OMG some of it smells like the south bound end of a north bound horse and looks worse.
Richard on April 6th, 2010 at 9:12 am | Link
The diversity in Indian food is at least 28 which is the number of states! With so much of diversity imagine how Indians work in their home country. It is about tolerance at workspace.
Also, is there any food that does not smell? Even raw foods have smell which may not be tolerable to some.
Karen on April 22nd, 2010 at 5:02 pm | Link
Small petty minded individuals find time to effin complain about the smell of food ? For fukks sake man grow up !!
Manny on April 25th, 2010 at 9:38 am | Link
Seriously, just because you guys don’t like the smell, you tell that person they can’t use the microwave for it. You don’t like the fish, the seafood, or anything that even smells a bit off from what you’re used to. Nobody complains about the strong smell of cheese from pizza or lasagna, because it’s “the norm”. In some cultures, the cheese stinks and they don’t like it. Guess what, they deal with it as well, even though they are the minority.
Why not just ban certain people from using the microwave because they only eat certain types of food. If someone pretty much eats only curry and it stinks when it’s nuked, are you going to say, “hey don’t use the microwave for that”? That’s pretty much saying, you can use it for everything else that you don’t eat. You guys might not think it’s discrimination, but at a company that values ethics and diversity, it will get some attention.
John on October 29th, 2010 at 11:17 am | Link
I am foreign born so I do eat food that I am sure doesn’t smell good to most of you, yet I only do this at home or at ethnic restaurants. For those of you who say that people are ignorant of diversity for gagging of the smell, try sitting almost next to the microwave then heat the food you think smells okay but do them in a row, then tell me you’re not gagging. Separately, most of these food are great, but sitting so close to the microwave and have your diverse coworkers heating their food one after another just makes me want to gag, sure you may accuse me of ignorant or whatever you want. But try imagine this, lasagna, followed by indian food, followed by chinese food, followed by BBQ, and mix all those fragrant together. You may think that Lasagna/BBQ/etc smells awesome (I do too), but reheating them one after another in a row, the smell just linger and got mixed in the air. I feel very sick almost everyday around lunch time because of this. I really wish someone would post a workaround for this as I’m not out to insult anyone or get anyone in trouble but I also don’t believe in sacrificing my comfort level at the office as I am also a member of the workforce.
anonymous on December 27th, 2010 at 3:45 pm | Link
I understand the cultural concerns, but I am wondering about legal restrictions such as OSHA rules. For example, staff that cooks fish products in a maternity ward at a hospital. Not only are other staff members exposed to potentially offensive smells, but paitients, babies and visitors are exposed. I know there are rules regarding use of chemical products (not soley based upon health risk, but also fragrance concerns). Don’t hospitals have some kind of enviromental quality and saftey rules?
Paul M on March 5th, 2011 at 8:56 am | Link
We’ve got a guy in our office who did some time in the Peace Corps — up in the mountains of Africa and God only knows what they ate up there, but I think he has them send him some from time to time. OMG is all I can say. He heats it in the microwave down the hall and then brings it back to our office — it smells from the elevator — and it’s offensive.
In addition, I’m thinking it was a custom when he was in Africa to make as much noise as possible while cutting up the food — sort of like appreciation to the hostess for cooking such a wonderful dinner. He bangs his utensils around like he’s killing a live yak. He does this for about 20 minutes to half an hour. We’re not totally quiet but extremely distracting especially when we have customers/clients waiting to be seen.
Viki on July 13th, 2011 at 10:10 am | Link
WOW glad to find some like-minded people!
I will just say that it doesn’t really matter WHAT the food is, when you microwave it then IT WILL STINK. Why? I don’t know. It won’t stink when you cook it the regular way, on the stove or in the oven.
So the problem really is the microwave. And yes, that gag-o-la smell is really heavy in the air and will linger for a long time, it is gross and NOT professional in any office environment.
bubbles on September 3rd, 2011 at 11:13 am | Link
I recently had to deal with someone who is prone to dictating what I can and cannot microwave for lunch. While she has her reasons, I was offended and quietly irritated nonetheless. Unless you have a good reason (certain smells make you nauseous, for example), I say: “Get over it and plug your nose.”
Linda on December 29th, 2011 at 9:24 pm | Link
Also, I wonder how many of you whiners are guilty of cooking stinky food as well.
Linda on December 29th, 2011 at 9:27 pm | Link
I am unfortunately guilty of bringing smelly food to work. I love eating “Pasta Bears”, you know the teddy bears filled with delicious italian-style pasta. It does smell because I have to microwave the bear for 45 minutes to kill any parasites or microbes that could be in the pasta. The bear usually catches fire at some point while cooking and the smoke from the fur and stuffing in the bear can smell up the office. If my coworkers don’t like it, they have yet to say anything. I think one time a coworker, Steve, was going to say something to me but quickly turned around and ran when he say my hunting knife. Honestly, I meant no harm towards Steve; I need the hunting knife to cut open the bear to get to the pasta.
Dick Buttons on December 30th, 2011 at 1:53 pm | Link
Not a problem for me! Our lunch room is across the yard from the office space. Completely separate area. even if the food stinks up the place, all it is stinking up is the lunch room. BOO YAH!
Dawg on January 22nd, 2012 at 12:09 am | Link
We already have a problem with smells coming from the work place. And, yet this temp brings in her own microwave to place by the copier. You got to be kidding me!!
Gary on May 3rd, 2012 at 12:15 pm | Link
Knew guy in my office cooks his own **** in the micro wave says he likes to recyle his own waste..
jay on July 20th, 2012 at 8:43 am | Link
there is nothing wrong with cooking leftovers in the microwave. People should be allowed to eat whatever they want, so long as it isn’t “virgin boy eggs.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/29/us-china-urine-eggs-idUSBRE82S0EE20120329
Alan Truism on October 16th, 2012 at 8:11 am | Link