How about the coworkers that "cooK"

[CourtasanSatine]

In the student union microwave at school you can tell when Asian dishes went on sale

 

[DWDreams]

In my experience nothing compares to some of the Asian fish dishes when they are reheated in microwave. It's like something died. Takes over the whole room and takes forever to go away.

Yes! I have an asian woman that works with me and she is always heating up squid soup or something such as that. It is NASTY smelling and everyone has asked politely to no avail...

 

[themarquis]

hmm... seems like it's mostly the foreign foods that are "smelly" and "disgusting"

 

[janey99]

ITA with the comments about the smelly fish dishes.

How about when someone's food bubbles over and they can't be bothered to wipe out the mess - the smelly gift that keeps on giving!

 

[shortbun]

During my last semester of college, I worked at this office for about 20 hours a week. They banned popcorn because a few complained they didn't like the smell (when it burned). Yet, they allowed the disgusting smell of curry fill the office every day.

I wanted to throw up the 3 days a week I was there.

mmmmm, love curry!!!!


now, if you wanna talk FISH in the microwave!

 

[golfgal]

We had a woman that lived above us in a townhome several years ago that cooked a LOT of curry dishes-YUCK. Even worse, she seemed to like to cook at 3AM so we would frequently get woken up at night to that smell.

There are only two of us in our office and no microwave--it's great!

 

[rigs32]

If you don't "cook" in the microwave, what are the choices? A sandwich or take-out? DH and I specifically make a double portion for dinner so we can take leftovers for lunch. I'm sure *someone* dislikes the odor of almost everything.

 

[ducklite]

In my experience nothing compares to some of the Asian fish dishes when they are reheated in microwave. It's like something died. Takes over the whole room and takes forever to go away.

Agreed. I used to sit next to a Chinese guy, and he would bring in the leftovers from dinner the night before for lunch every day. The stench was unbearable at times.

One of the bosses finally suggested that he go to the lunch room to eat on the days he had fish. (which was most of the time)

Anne

 

[LadyShiva]

hmm... seems like it's mostly the foreign foods that are "smelly" and "disgusting"

Dried fermented fish or shrimp. Need I say more?

Brandie

 

[becka]

If you don't "cook" in the microwave, what are the choices? A sandwich or take-out? DH and I specifically make a double portion for dinner so we can take leftovers for lunch. I'm sure *someone* dislikes the odor of almost everything.

My goodness I can't believe the things people will complain about on here. I know there are certain food smells I don't enjoy but everyone is going to dislike something different. I think we can all act like adults and just deal with it. What smells bad to one person does not to another so what are you going to do? I can't believe some workplaces dictate what a person can and cannot each on their lunch breaks.

 

[C.Ann]

Burnt popcorn used to be one of my migraine triggers.. Don't know if it still is because I haven't been around burnt popcorn in years now..

Guess that would be the same as someone getting sick from the smell of cigarette smoke - wouldn't it? Therefore I think popcorn should definitely be banned in the workplace - or at the very least they should have PBA's outside: "Popcorn Burning Areas"..

 

[ducklite]

I've got the king of all microwave stories.

I worked with a guy who was a bodybuilder. He was in training for a major competition, and his diet consisted of eggs and sweet potatos. We worked in a building wiht a daycare on the first floor.

One day he put a sweet potato in the microwave to cook it. He set the microwave for 40 minutes instead of the 4 minutes he was trying for and went back to his desk, where he got involved in a phone call and forgot about his lunch.

He finished the call, having still forgotten about his potato, and left the building to run an errand. ABout five minutes after he left, the office filled with smoke, and then the detectors/alarms for the entire building went off.

We all had to evacuate and stand in the freezing parking lot waiting for the fire department. Including the 40 kids in the day care. We did not know that it was the potato that had caused the smoke at this time.

The fire department came roaring in, and a dozen or so of the bravest in full gear went running into the building. After about five minutes they came out and talked to the chief, who then asked around until he found the tenants in the office suite that was "on fire."

He informed us that the smoke had come from a fire in the microwave, due to a very overcooked potato, and they were using various equipment to make sure that the fire in the microwave hadn't caused any electrical shorts/fires throughout the buildings electrical system. At that point I had to leave for an appointment, so I walked towards my car. As I was pulling out of the parking lot, "Potato Guy" was pulling in, and we stopped alongside each other. He asked what was going on, and I highly suggested that he might want to take the rest of the day off. And maybe tomorrow, too.

He was forbidden to cook in the building again. Ever.

Anne

 

[MissMinnie]

I'm making curry chicken for dinner tomorrow night. I'll make sure there are enough leftovers for all of you to bring to work on Monday!!

 

[Gurgi]

We have someone who cooks bacon every single day in the microwave....ugh!

 

[bgirldeb]

I'm making curry chicken for dinner tomorrow night. I'll make sure there are enough leftovers for all of you to bring to work on Monday!!

Mmm... curry chicken- yum!

I understand that certain foods bother certain people, but in my opinion it's pretty childish to complain about food smells unless something is overcooked or burnt popcorn, etc. To each his own...

 

[leafette]

In my experience nothing compares to some of the Asian fish dishes when they are reheated in microwave. It's like something died. Takes over the whole room and takes forever to go away.

Thanks for the memories! When I was in grad school, I sometimes worked in the science library, which was attached to the graduate studies building. The shared lobby had a lounge area and EVERY DAY at lunch, the smell of Asian fish dishes being microwaved permeated the entire lobby. I don't know if it was one offender or multiple, but boy was it rank!

 

[koopa]

During my last semester of college, I worked at this office for about 20 hours a week. They banned popcorn because a few complained they didn't like the smell (when it burned). Yet, they allowed the disgusting smell of curry fill the office every day.

I wanted to throw up the 3 days a week I was there.

The same happened at my office. They banned popcorn whether it is burned or not, boss felt the smell was too strong (and it was). I like curry, but it does smell strong reheated.

 

[iggbees]

i'm very lucky where i work, nobody in the labs that share our lunchroom ever cooks something that smelly. that being said, NOBODY likes to clean the microwave or the fridge. we moved lunchrooms recently and one of the other grad students and i literally had to chip away at the ice in the icebox, which was a mix of ice and ice cream. one of the most disgusting things i've ever seen. we also hosed down the fridge (we grabbed some gloves from the lab) and the microwave with 409 and let them sit for a half an hour before we actually cleaned them. i don't know what people do to make such a mess? i also don't like how people bring food in and then somehow forget that they brought it in and leave it in the fridge for months upon end. i can't tell you the old moldy stuff we threw away that day.

 

[disneyfan67]

My wife works for a large health care company and she told me the story of a girl in the office cooking a piece of fish on a pizza cooker. It was one of those pizza cookers that uses a light and spins the pizza around in the open to cook it. The smell went through the entire building. The fire marshal was called in to investigate the smoke and smell. When he found the pizza cooker they were made to remove it from the building ASAP. The smell was on every ones clothes and several people complained of headaches. Her manager was not happy with the coworker in question. A cube mate of my wife's got in the coworkers face and said what are doing? I'm going on a date later tonight and I STINK of rotten fish. I remember my wife coming home and I could smell the fish on her.

 

[Missy1961]

Mmm... curry chicken- yum!

I understand that certain foods bother certain people, but in my opinion it's pretty childish to complain about food smells unless something is overcooked or burnt popcorn, etc. To each his own...

I agree. Yes, fish dishes reheated can be nasty, but maybe my leftover pasta & sauce smells nasty to someone else. I can't afford to eat out everyday, I have to bring lunch as much as I can. I'm sure it's the same for other people that I work with. So I deal with the nasty smells. But anyone who leaves a mess behind or burns their popcorn, that I can't stand.