Would you send this back?

[mollymcguire]

Im a chef new in the job in a place with a vendetta from previous owners /staff and im gutted, I take such pride in my work and it took me a long time to gain the courage to go back to it, people keep posting negative things in trip advisor, booking tables and not showing up, and tonight sending back food that wasn't even tasted, I'm only new and under review and it's just so bad, I'm damn good at what I do, it was cooked to perfection, I just am deflated,

Irrespective of the presentation, which admittedly isn't my cup of tea, could it be part of the ongoing vendetta?

this is not about the food at all.
That customer would have sent back whatever you sent out.

You need to go to your boss and start logging what is going on, make them take responsibility. Get past staff etc banned, or at least get the management to talk to them. They and their families are not welcome to come in and not pay for stuff.

This is not about you. I would be looking for a new job.

I wouldn't send it back without tasting it but I hate food presented like this and wouldn't order this dish if I had seen the way it is served. I hate having meat or fish served on top of chips / mash / purée etc. Food dies not need to be stacked up!
Are all of the trip advisor reviews bad or are you fixating on a few negatives? If you are you will go mad!!!!

You are always going to get right fussy buggers on MN! The food looks fine, the chips look delicious, and especially for £8.95. I would honestly try and get another job somewhere without all the baggage.

The food itself looks tasty and well priced but I really dislike the presentation. It's ham egg and chips and it look pretentious and silly piled up. I don't even like the peas being in the little dish although that's more understandable.
I I think the chips look especially tasty though. Maybe some people would think they were overdone but I think they look spot on.

It's strange to have sent it back. It seems like an odd thing to do. Surely if it was an acrimonious previous customer they just wouldn't return.

That wouldn’t have lasted 5 minutes on my plate. It looks gorgeous. Just asked my dh and he said the same.

Some people complain to get free food. Could this be the reason?

It must depend on price.
£10 at a pub, no problem. £20 at a starred restaurant I would feel cheated.

You can't really go by a photo to say whether it's fine or not, nor by the other customer ate it for free. I'd eat things for free without complaining that I wouldn't be happy if I paid for.

Looks fine to me!

But genuine question, how are you supposed to eat it on that plate with that presentation? What if I wanted to salt and vinegar my chips? How do you cut the gammon when it’s on top of the chips? That would really irritate me but I wouldn’t send it back, maybe I’d ask for a proper plate so I can lay it out

Price is £8.95

I have to be honest - it doesn’t look desperately appetising - there’s a huge chunk of fat on the gammon and the chips look very dark and oily. Also the pineapple/tomato thing looks a bit like some kind of weird king prawn perched up like that. But I don’t think I would send it back untouched.

Your food looks absolutely fine for the kind of pub grub you mentioned in an earlier post. I'm going to assume that you aren't really asking us for a critique of your food but rather how to deal with this "vendetta"?

If someone sent back a plate of perfectly decent grub as chef/manager I'd go out and very politely ask them why. Perhaps tell them that you're new and want to know what your customers want. Kill them with kindness sort of thing.

For every single negative review that you truly believe is unjustified or in relation to this vendetta, respond. Some people will obviously leave a less than glowing review if they simply don't like your grub. I'd also take time to thank people for positive reviews.

Try and rise above it and good luck @mollymcguire 

If someone sent back a plate of perfectly decent grub as chef/manager I'd go out and very politely ask them why. Perhaps tell them that you're new and want to know what your customers want. Kill them with kindness sort of thing.

yes, good idea, don't just accept it, go out and ask. be a bot passive nice if you think they are unreasonable.
eg - it's cold
Oh dear, it came straight out of the fryer to your plate, not sure how I can make it hotter, let me get my meat thermometer and see how hot it is....

If it's the first plate you've had returned in 3 years I'd take that and run with it tbh. I used to (and OH currently) get customers in who complain for the sake of complaining. I wouldn't even dwell on it or allow it the headspace to mull it further.

If you think it's based on an ongoing feud, then either look for somewhere new or keep fighting the current owners corner. You can challenge trip advisor reviews and have them removed if they're not genuine. Why don't you lead the way into forging a new reputation and see it as an opportunity?!