Being a chef isn’t easy.

This woman works as a full-time chef at a senior apartment complex. She faces constant requests for staff food outside of lunch and dinner hours, so when a coworker repeatedly asks, she refuses.

Read the full story below for all the details.

AITA for denying my coworker lunch

I’ve been a chef for around 4 years now, working in a lot of different environments.

About 6 months ago, I started at my current job, a private “restaurant” for a senior apartment complex.

I’m the only chef working there 100%.

Other chefs only come in when I have a day off.

One coworker keeps asking for staff meals after lunch hours are over.

We serve a lunch menu between 12:00 and 13:00 and a 2-course dinner at 17:00.

I start at 10:00 and finish at 18:00.

So I’m pretty busy all day between prepping, serving lunch, cleaning, ordering, taking deliveries, dinner, and closing down.

One of my coworkers, who’s in charge of marketing, has been asking for staff food after lunch hours are finished.

I always serve staff food for everyone who orders, given they order either before or during the lunch service.

Her coworker demanded a cinnamon bun that was meant only for dinner service.

Three days ago, she asked for a cinnamon bun, which was the dessert for the dinner that day.

I told her no and explained that I only make the amount needed for the guests.

I added that she could have one after dinner service if there were any left.

She said she “only wants one if she can have it now,” and pretty much left it at that.

Her coworker returned the next day, asking for food that wasn’t available anymore.

Yesterday, she came one hour after lunch and asked for a couple slices of bread and some salad.

I told her no because all the bread I had was frozen at the time.

She then asked for a croissant, to which I informed her that all of them were sold during lunch.

She proceeded to go home for the rest of the day after telling another coworker that she “can’t get any food here.”

She again refused her coworker who demanded eggs and bacon right after lunch.

Then today, she comes into the kitchen 5 minutes after lunch.

While I’m running to clean up everything so I can start on the rest of the prep before dinner.

She starts, “I’ll have some eggs and bacon.”

I tell her, “Sorry, but lunch is over for today.”

She raises her voice at me and says, “Do you have something against me?!”

The manager sided with her coworker, saying she should be more flexible.

Still running to clean up and pretty shocked, I say: “Against you? No? I’ve been doing lunch for the last hour.”

She proceeds to angrily walk up to the manager and tell her about how I’m denying her lunch.

The manager says I should be flexible and look for solutions instead of denying requests.

Now, she’s wondering if she handled things wrong.

I probably could’ve toasted some bread to defrost it on the second occurrence.

But I’d already worked my bum off that day.

And I didn’t want to fix problems for people who can’t follow lunch times.

So, am I the jerk?

Let’s see how others reacted to this.

This user shares their personal thoughts.

Here’s a valid point from this person.

This one makes sense, too.

Finally, this user is calling out the coworker.

If she only knew how to follow lunch hours, she wouldn’t have had to ask.

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