Am I being AIBU to think my neighbour was rude to ask this?

[PO25]

Hi

I am guessing this might draw very polarising views but I just wanted to get your honest thoughts.

My neighbour just told my husband that our cooking is affecting them and to tone it down.

We are Malaysians so we do cook Malaysian food - where we do fry onions etc. We do a mix of western/asian etc in our meals every week. And we don't cook asian everyday - just no time!

We are professionals and live in a nice neighbourhood. Though this neighbour has been rude/unfriendly with us since we broached the subject of doing a basement three years ago. our house is small, so the proximity of my kitchen to my neighbours is close.

While we didn't go ahead with the basement, the relationship with our neighbour was cold since then.

I have two kids and live a busy life - so its not like I am spending all day in the kitchen.

I am really annoyed that there is a lack of tolerance. I grew up in Malaysia, where we respected and celebrated our cultural differences, especially with food!

I feel my neighbour is not being tolerant and rude. Maybe I am overreacting, but telling me not to cook something, is like telling me you can't be who you are. AIBU?

My question is how would you deal with this? If something was troubling you, and it could potentially be sensitive, how would you have broached this?

Yell out stuff like 'have you skinned that Guinea pig yet? Or 'are the lizard gallbladder milked yet or do you want me to?' Racist tossers, we got sick of people asking 'does mr bunny eat (insert common item like potato).

DH is from overseas and I was blind to the levels of racism in the uk until we got together.

Invite them to supper and cook a blinding Sarawak Laksa.

They will think differently about Malaysian cuisine subsequently!

Although it isn't pleasant walking down a road and smelling some cooking smells, you are definitely entitled to cook what you want in your own home!

Bunny
ist that a bit extreme? They sound a bit difficult but labeling them racist seems a bit of a jump. Sorry to hear you've had a difficult time. I do simpathise, my wife has had comments made because she is German, specially after this brexit nonsense.

Many years ago we lived in a small semi and our (very nice) neighbours cooked Indian food every day. Unfortunately the building wasn't sealed properly and all their cooking smells came into our home. Much as we liked them the food smells were awful and in the end we had to move. While everyone should be able to eat what they like in their own home sometimes the building isn't sealed properly and then it does become a nightmare. I like a curry (a lot) but the smell of it every night in your home when you aren't eating it is pretty depressing.

Hmmm. I have the same problem.

My neighbours cook very pungent food and our extractors face each other in the middle. So her cooking wafts directly into my kitchen and in all honesty, to me, it stinks.

I end up with open windows in Dec.

I can't say anything though. I mean what could she do anyway?

I do hate it though.

I used to live in a flat and the people underneath used to cook...well I don't know what they cooked but it smelled awful, and really strong, it lingered all night, and just when it started to dissapate they cooked again. It was difficult to live with.
I never said anything, because you just can't, but it did negatively affect my life.

Invite them to supper and cook a blinding Sarawak Laksa.

Would you object to a blinding egg and chips? OP can cook what she likes. I doubt her cooking is noxious and suspect her neighbour is being a cunt. But it's really tiresome when people use these threads to wang on about their culinary adventurism.

We've had people saying 'Ooh! Come live next to me OP. I'd love you to give me your lovely Malaysian food.' People have asked for a recipe for nasi goreng. Why? Get it off Google. The most ridiculous one was someone going on about walking down her street and experiencing an olfactory tour of the world.

People cook their tea. Tonight I'm doing rabbit stew with dumplings. It smells divine. But I doubt my neighbours can smell it and would be perturbed if anyone knocked on my door drooling with a begging bowl for my exotic food.

I lived next door to an Indian family, my bedroom was next to their kitchen but a floor up iygwim. My bedroom reeked of curry everyday.

I didn't complain but it's astonishing how strong it was.

I lived with a Malaysian girl and an Indian girl for a year. They both cooked for me a lot.

Best year ever.

I lived with a Malaysian girl and an Indian girl for a year. They both cooked for me a lot. Best year ever.

That's nice. Did you do anything?

Yes sybys did you whip them up some jellied eels ?

Bunnyfuller, don't you sound a clever one?

Its upto you what you cook in your own house! My neighbours cook bacon alot and have bbq's which knocks me sick (veggie) i shut my windows or door. Its no-one elses buisness what you cook. As them if theyd like to try some or fuck off :)

Thank you for sharing those recipes OP!

The level of ignorance on here is astounding. It is not racist to complain about something which negatively impacts on your quality of life and it is not just a case of shutting the windows, as this doesn't work. I'm sure thatbif some of the people who are getting on their soap boxes on here would change their tunes if they had to put up with the disgusting smells.

It's really not ok for any neighbour to presume to tell you what you can/can't cook. Shrug it off. They sound like a twit. Ps I remember the wonderful diverse cooking aromas in Malaysia and the memory stll makes me peckish. Wish you lived next door to me.

Are people that petty what has it got to do with them what you cook.... I wouldn't let them bother me its your home to cook what the heck you like.. I wish I could cook food like that that tastes amazing instead of a burnt mess 😀

All foods smell we just don't notice the mold familiar ones most of the time. This sounds a bit like a toddler making a face because they don't like it cos it's different. On a practical note you can get carbon extractor filters that will reduce the smells coming from your kitchen.

Ignore their ignorant request. Cooking smells are part of life, carry on cooking what you want to in your own home.

Whilst you can do what you want in your own house, I do have a bit of sympathy. Other people's cooking smells aren't very nice.

there is a house found the corner form me that stinks of incense from the road. I would hate to live next door to their house.

I remember the wonderful diverse cooking aromas in Malaysia and the memory stll makes me peckish. Wish you lived next door to me.

Oh fuck

They are quite expensive but you can by a free standing air purifier for when you are cooking, it will illiminate any smells but I also don't see why you should, they could just as easily buy one.

Ignore them - I detest spicy foods, but wouldn't dream of telling my neighbours what to cook or eat. They are clearly 'making a point' to you and I doubt it has anything to do with food in reality.

First your basement, now your cooking. Don't worry there will be something else next. People like that will always find things to moan about.
Unfortunatly they will probably never like you (some people are just like that.)