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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Should long hair be tied back for food preparation

91 replies

Wellpark · 18/04/2021 18:22

Scenario: a restaurant kitchen is being used by a third party to have cooking classes. Should participants of the class who have long hair be required to tie their hair back when preparing the food?
I've just been called a Karen ( apologies to anyone with this name, I hate this usage ) by the owner of the restaurant for agreeing on an FBgroup with someone who said hair should be up. He posted pictures of the class doing the prep of raw chicken and there was a lady with hair hanging down as she was chopping it up. He became aggressive in the tone of his comments and called me Karen. I hate this. It's an attempt to shut women down when they say something men dont like, in my opinion. Mysogyny in action if you will. Anyway, what do you think? His contention was that as it was a private cooking class he didn't have to specify long hair tied up. But if it's on his premises isn't he responsible for the hygiene practices?

OP posts:
Chihuahuacat · 18/04/2021 23:06

The Karen insult was wrong, but honestly, why did you get involved? You weren’t there, or in any way connected to him / the cooking class?

If they were cooking food for private consumption I can’t see it really matters either way. Certainly not enough for randomers (I.e. you) to take the time to post negative commentary on what I assume was a generic promotional photo. If you don’t like it, you do you and just move on. No need to comment.

Chihuahuacat · 18/04/2021 23:07

If you were genuinely concerned about hygiene you could have sent a private message

MaMaLa321 · 18/04/2021 23:17

There was a young woman contestant in Bake Off who had long hair that she never tied back. I stopped watching, it annoyed me so much. I really can't see why you wouldn't tie back hair when preparing food.

Original poster
Wellpark · 18/04/2021 23:33

To those who are saying why comment 'randomly' isn't that what anonymous threads on internet forums/FB all about? 'Physician heal thyself'comes to mind.

OP posts:
Maggiesfarm · 18/04/2021 23:42

Yes.

LolaSmiles · 19/04/2021 07:29

Or perhaps think twice before posting photos of long hair dangling over raw chicken being prepared on your premises when you're in the restaurant business.
It was a third party businesses running private cookery lessons!

But I'm sure your two pennies was ever so helpful the the restaurant owner. 🙄

To those who are saying why comment 'randomly' isn't that what anonymous threads on internet forums/FB all about?
Most people don't spend their time on Facebook telling one business owner how a second business owner should run the business when they have nothing to do with the business. Some people do though, and they're quite funny to read because the likelihood is nobody cares.

MrsClatterbuck · 19/04/2021 07:53

@Heyha

Kids still tie hair up in cooking lessons at school as far as I know (ours do) so I don't think adults in a cooking lesson is much different as the reasoning behind it is the same. YANBU.

Ps I know they aren't called cooking lessons any more in reality 🙂

Showing my age here but when doing domestic science at school we were required to tie long hair back during our cooking lessons.
Was sitting sitting beside a colleague on a night out for someone retiring and they found a hair in their side of vegetables. Not nice.
sonjadog · 19/04/2021 08:02

It sounds like he was unnecessarily rude, but people who poke their nose into and just have to comment and judge something that is no concern of theirs are very annoying. It was a private class in his private business that is nothing to do with you. If the people taking the private class want loose hair over the food that they are preparing for themselves, then that is their business. If it was a photo of the cook who works in the restaurant and whose food you would be buying if you went there, then that would be an entirely different thing.

Amdone123 · 19/04/2021 08:14

@Wellpark, everything you have said on this thread is true.

RaspberryCoulis · 19/04/2021 08:28

@Wellpark

It's the issue of using a restaurant kitchen for a private class but not requiring the basic hygiene that usually has to be used.
But the scenario is entirely different as the participants in a cooking class are cooking for for THEMSELVES. Not for OTHER PEOPLE.

Of course there are more rules about preparing food for sale to the public.

LolaSmiles · 19/04/2021 08:29

MrsClatterbuck
At my school students still tie their hair up for cooking lessons and hair tied up is standard for the food industry, but if adults doing a private class opt not to then it's nobody else's business.

It's one thing to comment on the food hygiene procedures of a business that's serving food, and another feeling the need to chip in on Facebook because someone doesn't like what strangers do in a private cookery class.

RobertaSloth · 19/04/2021 08:44

It sounds like he was rude, but... what did you expect by publicly criticising something that didn’t affect you in any way? These days people honestly seem to think that every opinion they have needs to be expressed, regardless of whether it’s necessary, relevant or helpful.

FWIW in a cooking class I don’t think people need to tie hair back as they’re preparing food for themselves, so I don’t even see it as a valid criticism tbh.

TheKeatingFive · 19/04/2021 08:59

Honestly, OP, why get involved?

It’s absolutely nothing to do with you and clearly up to the individual if they tie their hair back when preparing food for themselves.

Nonmaquillee · 19/04/2021 09:07

Yes, hair should be tied up during food prep, and yes, that restaurant owner was a misogynistic wanker for calling you that.

I'd never visit the restaurant again and would tell everyone I know about the food/hair issue.

PrelovedWithValue · 19/04/2021 09:11

I'd never visit the restaurant again and would tell everyone I know about the food/hair issue

Even though the food being prepared wasn't anything to do with the restaurant?

LuaDipa · 19/04/2021 10:27

He was rude, but I genuinely don’t understand this need to comment. You weren’t in the class, it didn’t affect you in any way so why did you feel the need to get involved?

Nonmaquillee · 19/04/2021 17:42

@PrelovedWithValue

I'd never visit the restaurant again and would tell everyone I know about the food/hair issue

Even though the food being prepared wasn't anything to do with the restaurant?

Yes, if the owner was so rude and used "Karen" as an insult. Wouldn't want to give him my money.
WTF99 · 19/04/2021 17:59

He is definitely BU to call you a Karen but if it's individuals cooking for themselves/their families and not serving to the public, or swishing their hair into anyone else's food, I wouldn't have a particular issue with it. And if I did have an issue I would find a better way of airing it than putting it FB.

Original poster
Wellpark · 19/04/2021 18:00

All these people saying 'why did you bother to comment'! Well why are YOU bothering to comment on this thread!? FFS!!!

OP posts:
Amdone123 · 19/04/2021 18:04

@Wellpark, exactly !!!!!

WTF99 · 19/04/2021 18:06

@Wellpark

All these people saying 'why did you bother to comment'! Well why are YOU bothering to comment on this thread!? FFS!!!
Op....you posted in AIBU.....you will have to expect some robust responses im afraid.....don't take it to heart Of course you're right that in a commercial kitchen hair should be tied back.....but this was slightly different wasn't it....it was a teaching session....but presumably not teaching people to work in a commercial kitchen. I don't tie my hair back in my own kitchen....but I do at work...different context different rules...
Original poster
Wellpark · 19/04/2021 18:08

Thank you Amdone123

OP posts:
Dunairbeanat · 19/04/2021 18:19

I always tie my hair back when cooking for myself and my family at home. Just practical hygiene as is washing hands. I have found a hair in my food before and it makes me feel ill.
So OP you are definitely not being unreasonable.

Original poster
Wellpark · 19/04/2021 18:35

Dunairbeanat I totally agree. Hair in food makes me heave. It's so gross 🤢

OP posts:
MolotovMocktail · 19/04/2021 19:28

I couldn’t get worked up about it, it’s a private class. They’ll clean the kitchen afterwards. I don’t like the Karen term but I agree anyone making comments like this comes across as a bit of a busybody. And whilst it might be psychologically unpleasant, realistically it is unlikely anyone would become ill from a bit of hair in their food.