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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Was I in the wrong 😑 over food order at work

113 replies

Safarigiraffe · 05/09/2022 21:07

I work in a day nursery as a kitchen assistant & last week at work the Chef was away so I was on my own in the kitchen with hardly no help. Our menus work on a 3 week rota so as our supplier didn’t send in everything I had to work with what I literally had in. Some parents complained about the food as it wasn’t being followed day by day which my Boss told me about however I could only work with what I had & did go slightly off the menu. Fast forward to today the Chef had a go at me for going off the menu cos parents complained & apparently I did my own thing on the menu & also said that she was short on 2 lunches for this week cos I went off menu and used up what she was gonna use this week, I explained that it was because I had to work with what I had but she was having none of it. My Boss has sorted things out to get some things from another nearby nursery however am I in the wrong here considering the parents complained about me going slightly off the menu?

OP posts:
loudlylikealion · 05/09/2022 21:08

How far off the menu? As in was it meant to be mac and cheese and you did chicken tikka?

MatildaTheCat · 05/09/2022 21:09

Did you do anything at all to get the supplies you needed? If not it sounds as if you genuinely did your best but really should have asked for what you needed.

Stickworm · 05/09/2022 21:10

Our nursery has a menu in the window, and my son never seems to eat what’s on there. It will say - Monday, jacket potato - and when I collect him they say ‘oh he ate all his pasta today!’ As an example. Really doesn’t bother me in the slightest as long as he’s eating!

ShirleyPhallus · 05/09/2022 21:10

How far off menu did you go for parents to notice?!

MatildaTheCat · 05/09/2022 21:10

But it also sounds a bit of a storm in a teacup. In other words don’t worry about it.

Dotcheck · 05/09/2022 21:10

Yes, you are.

However, clearly there is poor management in place, so not really your fault

Original poster
Safarigiraffe · 05/09/2022 21:11

I amended the orders with the supplier & did tell my Boss but she didn’t seem too fussed

OP posts:
MessyBunPersonified · 05/09/2022 21:11

Why didn't your boss sort it out when you were stuck for ingredients? Did you ask for the stuff that was missing?

I understand the parents being pissed off, lots of parents plan their menus around what the kids are getting at school or nursery.

Original poster
Safarigiraffe · 05/09/2022 21:12

I didn’t go too far off the menu for example the menu is over 5 days & I swapped over some foods/had to give a alternative food to vegetarians for example

OP posts:
Original poster
Safarigiraffe · 05/09/2022 21:13

Basically the children who are vegetarian complained cos they had vegemince twice over 5 days

OP posts:
WiddlinDiddlin · 05/09/2022 21:13

I think you need to give examples of what you mean by 'off menu'...

If the menu said 'Wild caught pan fried sea bass and new potatoes' and you've served 'fish fingers and potato smiley faces'... I can see there being an issue.

If however the menu said 'fish fingers and potato smiley faces' and you've done chicken nuggets and potato waffles' then no, clearly someones being a massive dick.

In future as soon as it is apparent that there isn't the food there to make the menu set out for that day/week - speak to whoever is your immediate boss and ask them WHAT you should do, if they find it annoying that you're making it their problem, tough shit, it IS their problem, not yours.

loudlylikealion · 05/09/2022 21:15

Safarigiraffe · 05/09/2022 21:13

Basically the children who are vegetarian complained cos they had vegemince twice over 5 days

How did you manage that? Was there twice as much veggie mince as you needed or did you serve up tiny portions?

Aquamarine1029 · 05/09/2022 21:16

I'd be looking for a new job.

Luredbyapomegranate · 05/09/2022 21:16

Safarigiraffe · 05/09/2022 21:11

I amended the orders with the supplier & did tell my Boss but she didn’t seem too fussed

Well then I think you did what you could.

Ask what the chef would have done that you didn’t do, so you know for next time.

Original poster
Safarigiraffe · 05/09/2022 21:16

For example if the menu on said chicken pasta I made a beef pasta/vegemince pasta, swapped cheese sandwiches for pitta with cheese, savoury beef mince I made beef chilli/vegemince chilli so I worked with what I had but on some days I swapped foods around or had to think of a complete different alternative if that makes sense

OP posts:
AuditAngel · 05/09/2022 21:17

Couldn’t the chef have placed orders in dance? Or left them ready for you to place?

Was the problem that you going off menu highlighted that he left you in the lurch?

or, is the ordering part of your job/your responsibility if chef is away?

Ffsmakeitstop · 05/09/2022 21:18

I would just be glad the kids were fed. Some people are arseholes.

AuditAngel · 05/09/2022 21:18

In advance

Original poster
Safarigiraffe · 05/09/2022 21:19

This is the first time I’ve had to amend orders when the Chef has been away & it’s the Chefs responsibility in the past to amend the orders however the Chef told me to amend the orders

OP posts:
berksandbeyond · 05/09/2022 21:20

It doesn't sound like you went too far off menu. If people meal plan I could see them being annoyed that you were meant to serve Mac and cheese for lunch so they planned jacket potatoes for dinner then you served jacket potatoes for lunch for example...

MaryHoldTheCandleSteadyWhileIShaveTheChickensLeg · 05/09/2022 21:21

In order to answer your question 'Was I in the wrong?', you need to tell us what the alternative was.

What did the chef expect you to do differently to what you actually did?

Culldesack · 05/09/2022 21:21

You've done nothing wrong. You worked with what you had.

Original poster
Safarigiraffe · 05/09/2022 21:21

Kids at this nursery are fed breakfast lunch and tea not just lunch it’s open 730-630 with morning/afternoon snacks as well and no child went hungry

OP posts:
Theblacksheepandme · 05/09/2022 21:22

Ffsmakeitstop · 05/09/2022 21:18

I would just be glad the kids were fed. Some people are arseholes.

I was thinking the same.

Hillrunning · 05/09/2022 21:24

I'm not really clear on why you had to make different food? What went wrong because first toy say the supplier let you down but now you say that you amended the order with the supplier. If the why is clear, and not your wrong doing, would ask for reassurance from the manager that this will be addressed.